Pilot Investigation on the Driving Posture Comfort among Malaysian Drivers

Abstract:

The relationship between preferred driving postures, seat adjustment levels and the anthropometric characteristics of subjects were investigated in this paper. The study is a pilot investigation with the aim to understand comfortable driving postures for Malaysian drivers which will be a basis for further development of a comfort design model in the future. Wireless goniometer and photogrammetry method were used to measure the body’s joint angles. The goniometer was placed on the subject’s shoulders, elbows and knees to measure the shoulder displacement angles, elbow angles and knee angles, while foot-calf angles and trunk-thigh angles were measured using a photogrammetry technique due to the limited number of the goniometers. The seat positions, namely; the seat back angle, seat sliding distance and seat height were measured using a similar photogrammetry method. The subjects’ results show that stature affects their shoulder angles, elbow angles, knee angles, seat height and seat sliding distance. There was a positive correlation between the stature, elbow and seat sliding distance. However, there is no correlation between stature and seat back angles. Based on the results obtained, a taller subject preferred a driving posture that enables their arms to be outstretched; while a female subject preferred to sit closer to the steering wheel and a higher seat for visual demands.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 605-607)
• Pages: 466-471
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.605-607.466
• Online since: December 2012
• Authors: Mohamad Syafiq Aizat Hussin, Raja Ariffin Raja Ghazilla, Mirta Widia
• Keywords: Anthropometric, Driving Posture, Postural Angle, Seat Adjustment Level

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