Driving Simulator Experiment on Ride Comfort Improvement and Low Back Pain Prevention of Autonomous Car Occupants

Unlike other autonomous working vehicles such as farm and construction machinery, autonomous cars have at least an occupant, even if the driving operations are automated. Thus, the whole-body vibration problem continues to be a research topic with respect to autonomous vehicles. Several technologies have been developed to decrease whole-body vibration exposure. Most of technologies have focused on the development and improvement of automotive components such as the suspension system, automotive seats and tires. This paper examines the reduction in whole-body vibrations using autonomous functions such as lane-change control. In this paper, a subject experiment with a driving simulator is reported so as to discuss the influence of decreasing the whole-body vibration exposure on ride comfort improvement and low back pain prevention.

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