EFFECTS OF PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM DESIGN ON HORN CONTROL LOCATION AND THE LOCATION AND OPERABILITY OF SALK-MOUNTED CONTROLS

This study was developed to assess possible effects of wheel-mounted passive restraint systems upon control and display locations and to determine the current status of stalk-mounted, multi-function controls and their operability. Analytic, experimental, and interview methods were employed. Physical measurement of a wheel-mounted passive restraint system indicated a potential loss in usable panel area ranging from 30-70% depending on vehicle size. Experiments using more than 330 drivers indicated significantly slower reaction times were to be expected for stalk-mounted horn controls or headlight dimmer controls. Interviews with nearly 400 drivers of foreign automobiles were analyzed in terms of various stalk control configurations. Sixty-one different combinations of controls and stalks were identified among 25 vehicle makes. Rated difficulty in locating a desired control and reported errors in activating a second control instead of or in addition to the desired control varied, depending on the number of stalks and the number of controls per stalk and the types of controls. Interaction effects were also noted for type of transmission control. It was concluded that despite the apparent overabundance of stalk control configurations, insufficient data are available to support standardization recommendations at this time.

• Corporate Authors:

  Essex Corporation

  303 Cameron Street
  Alexandria, VA  United States  22314
• Publication Date: 1974-9

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 87 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic vehicle monitoring; Automobiles by type; Constraints; Control; Drivers; Headlamps; Instrumentation; Location; Reaction time
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction; Vehicle make
• Old TRIS Terms: Passive constraints
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00080401
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT HS-801 232 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-HS-120-3-679
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 27 1975 12:00AM