Vehicle Ergonomics

Ergonomics is a fundamental component of theprocess of vehicle design. It is the consideration ofhuman factors in the efficient layout of controls inthe driver’s environment. In the design of instru-ment panels, factors such as the driver’s reachzones and his field of vision, together with inter-national standards, all have to be considered.Legal standards include material performance inrelation to energy absorption and deformationunder impact. The vision and reach zones are geo-metrically defined, and allow for the eliminationof instrument reflections in the windshield.
Basic elements affecting the driver’s relationshipto the instrument panel controls, instruments, steer-ing wheel, pedals, seats and other vital elements inthe car are positioned for initial evaluation using the‘Manikin’, which is a two- and three-dimensionalmeasuring tool developed as a result of numerousanthropometric surveys and representing the humanfigure. Changes are recorded until the designer issatisfied that an optimum layout has been achieved.