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An ergonomics study was conducted in a mock-up with a fixed steering wheel position. Drivers adjusted the seat and pedals to a comfortable position. A three-dimensional coordinate measurement machine (CMM) was used to measure the comfortable position of 21 participants. Proven test methods were used to collect the posture data. A model is described to assist in seat and pedal placement for cockpit design.

A new method is presented for physically measuring drivers' field of view in rearview mirrors. A portable coordinate measurement apparatus (FARO Arm) is used to measure the mirror locations, contours, and curvature. Measurements of the driver's head and eye locations while looking into each mirror are also made. Raytracing is used to map the two- or three-dimensional field of view in each mirror. The method differentiates between monocular, binocular, and ambinocular fields of view, and can account for head movements. This method has been applied to passenger cars, light trucks, and heavy trucks to document how drivers aim their mirrors during normal use.

As part of the Automotive Seat and Package Evaluation and Comparison Tools (ASPECT) program, UMTRI researchers developed a new H-point manikin that is intended to replace the current SAE J826 manikin. The original manikin is used in many automotive applications, including as a platform for a belt-fit test device (BTD). In the current project, components and procedures were developed to measure belt fit using the ASPECT manikin. Contoured lap and torso forms were constructed using anthropometric data from an earlier UMTRI study. Prototype forms were mounted on the ASPECT manikin for testing in a laboratory fixture and in vehicles. The testing demonstrated that the ASPECT-BTD produces consistent measures of belt fit that vary in expected ways with belt geometry.

Advanced airbag systems use information from a variety of sensors to tune the airbag performance for crash severity and occupant characteristics. A new family of Occupant Classification ATDs (OCATD) have been developed for use in the design and testing of advanced airbag systems. This paper describes the development of anthropometric standards for an OCATD that represents a typical six-year-old child. Detailed analyses of existing child anthropometry databases were conducted to develop reference dimensions. A child who closely matched the reference dimensions was measured in a variety of conditions. A custom molded measurement seat was constructed using foam-in-place seating material. The surface of the child's body was scanned as he sat in the custom seat, and the three-dimensional locations of body landmarks defining the skeleton position were recorded.

Few studies have systematically examined the effects of truck and bus workstation geometry on driver posture and position. This paper presents methods for determining drivers' postural responses and preferred component locations using a reconfigurable vehicle mockup. Body landmark locations recorded using a three-dimensional digitizer are used to compute a skeletal-linkage representation of the drivers' posture. A sequential adjustment procedure is used to determine the preferred positions and orientations of key components, including the seat, steering wheel, and pedals. Data gathered using these methods will be used to create new design tools for trucks and buses, including models of driver-selected seat position, eye location, and needed component adjustment ranges. The results will also be used to create accurate posture-prediction models for use with human modeling software.