Automobile seat comfort: occupant preferences vs. anthropometric accommodation.

Automobile seat design specifications cannot be established without considering the comfort expectations of the target population. This contention is supported by published literature, which suggests that ergonomics criteria, particularly those related to physiology, do not satisfy consumer comfort. The objective of this paper is to challenge ergonomics criteria related to anthropometry in the same way. In this context, 12 subjects, representing a broad range of body sizes, evaluated five different compact car seats during a short-term seating session. Portions of a reliable and valid survey were used for this purpose. The contour and geometry characteristics of the five seats were quantified and compared to the survey information. Discrepancies were discovered between published anthropometric accommodation criteria and subject-preferred lumbar height, seatback width, cushion length, and cushion width. Based on this finding, it was concluded that automobile seat comfort is a unique science. Ergonomics criteria, while serving as the basis for this science, cannot be applied blindly for they do not ensure comfortable automobile seats.

[1]  Thomas B. Sheridan,et al.  Physiological and Psychological Evaluations of Driver Fatigue During Long Term Driving , 1991 .

[2]  M J Griffin,et al.  Qualitative models of seat discomfort including static and dynamic factors , 2000, Ergonomics.

[3]  Kathleen M. Robinette,et al.  The CAESAR project: a 3-D surface anthropometry survey , 1999, Second International Conference on 3-D Digital Imaging and Modeling (Cat. No.PR00062).

[4]  N Yamazaki.  Analysis of sitting comfortability of driver's seat by contact shape. , 1992, Ergonomics.

[5]  A. N. Oppenheim.  Questionnaire Design and Attitude Measurement , 1966 .

[6]  Matthew P. Reed,et al.  An Investigation of Driver Discomfort and Related Seat Design Factors in Extended-Duration Driving , 1991 .

[7]  Masaaki Katsumata,et al.  Evaluation of Seating Comfort , 1982 .

[8]  C. Osgood,et al.  The Measurement of Meaning , 1958 .

[9]  Mike Kolich,et al.  Reliability and Validity of an Automobile Seat Comfort Survey , 1999 .

[10]  Matthew P. Reed,et al.  Survey of Auto Seat Design Recommendations for Improved Comfort , 1994 .

[11]  Robert P. Hubbard,et al.  THE USE OF ELECTROMYOGRAPHY FOR SEAT ASSESSMENT AND COMFORT EVALUATION , 1995 .

[12]  A. Grigg,et al.  A review of techniques for scaling subjective judgements , 1978 .

[13]  S S Stevens,et al.  On the Theory of Scales of Measurement. , 1946, Science.

[14]  B. Åkerblom.  Standing and sitting posture , 1948 .

[15]  Matthew P. Reed,et al.  Some effects of lumbar support contour on driver seated posture , 1995 .

[16]  H. T. E. Hertzberg,et al.  The Human Buttocks in Sitting: Pressures, Patterns, and Palliatives , 1972 .

[17]  Wenqi Shen,et al.  Validity and reliability of rating scales for seated pressure discomfort , 1997 .

[18]  Colin G. Drury,et al.  Identifying Factors of Comfort and Discomfort in Sitting , 1996, Hum. Factors.

[19]  P. Cozby,et al.  Methods in behavioral research , 1977 .

[20]  Matthew P. Reed,et al.  Lumbar Support in Auto Seats: Conclusions from a Study of Preferred Driving Posture , 1996 .

[21]  Wilfried Diebschlag,et al.  Recommendation for Ergonomic and Climatic Physiological Vehicle Seat Design , 1989 .

[22]  R Ortengren,et al.  Lumbar disc pressure and myoelectric back muscle activity during sitting. 3. Studies on a wheelchair. , 1974, Scandinavian journal of rehabilitation medicine.

[23]  Claire C. Gordon,et al.  2012 Anthropometric Survey of U.S. Army Personnel: Methods and Summary Statistics , 2014 .

[24]  Sanford Labovitz,et al.  Statistical Usage In Sociology , 1972 .

[25]  Tom McCusker,et al.  SynOptics Communications Inc. , 1993 .