Analysis of Customer Satisfaction on the Stiffness of Automobiles outside Panels

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze customers’ satisfaction for the stiffness of outside panels of passenger cars. Background: The affective quality of passenger vehicles such as the look and feel as well as functional performance is becoming important factor in customers’ purchase decision. Many affective engineering studies on automobiles have focused on the visual design characteristics of interior and exterior parts. But few studies exist focusing on the tactile feeling of the stiffness of outside panels. Method: Including ‘satisfaction’, four affective variables were selected for rating affection of outside panel stiffness. About fifty customers evaluated the hood and trunk lid of nine midsize passenger cars with a developed questionnaire in the study. The stiffness of the hood and trunk lid for the nine vehicles was measured using stress-strain curves. Results: It was found that customers were more satisfied as the slope of the stress-strain curves increased, and the decrease at a point in the curve had negative effects. Conclusion: In this study, the levels of satisfaction of outside panel stiffness were grouped by stress-strain curves, and it is likely that the affective quality of outside panel stiffness can be controlled by them. Application: With the results of this study, the designers of outside panels are able to know how to make the stress-strain curves of panels for the desired level of satisfaction. And it is expected that customers’ satisfaction for stiffness of outside panel can be conceptualized more clearly.