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This study investigates occupant containment characteristics of tempered and laminated automotive moveable side glass in rollover collisions. FMVSS 216 test protocols were used to induce roof damage or sheet metal damage around the window opening in Lincoln Navigators equipped with tempered and laminated side glass. Dummy-drop tests were then performed to investigate relative containment. The results demonstrate that, for rollovers in which the window structure is compromised, tempered side glass and laminated side glass perform comparably relative to occupant containment. Also discussed are the general strength characteristics of different types of glass construction, the availability of laminated side glass in recent model U.S. vehicles, and anecdotal data supporting the conclusions of testing.

A study was conducted to rank 34 ergonomic characteristics of automobiles by their degree of importance to older and younger drivers. The older drivers were students in AARP driver education classes; the younger drivers were students in university classes. Three geographic locations were sampled. The primary variable analyzed was age, but geographic location, gender, driving experience, and use of glasses were also investigated. Of the characteristics that were found to be of more than average importance to older drivers, seven were appreciably more important to older drivers than to younger drivers with the “control of glare light” being the most dominant.

This study assesses the understanding and recognition, by U.S. drivers, of the 25 automotive ISO symbols specified in SAE Standard J1048. A two-part survey was administered to 505 volunteers at a Secretary of State's office located in a Detroit suburb. Percentage results for symbol understanding indicated low levels of understanding for many symbols; percentage results for symbol recognition were generally much higher for all symbols. The effects of gender, age, and education level on the percentage results are summarized.

This study assesses the understanding and recognition, by U.S. drivers, of the 25 automotive ISO symbols specified in SAE Standard J1048. A two-part survey was administered to 505 volunteers at a Secretary of State's office located in a Detroit suburb. Percentage results for symbol understanding indicated low levels of understanding for many symbols; percentage results for symbol recognition were generally much higher for all symbols. The effects of gender, age, and education level on the percentage results are summarized.

A Headlight Evaluation Model has been developed which provides a broader and more comprehensive method for characterizing the performance of headlamps than is possible in traditional headlight seeing distance field tests. The Headlamp Evaluation Model accepts as input the candlepower patterns of the headlamp system being evaluated and provides a measure of driver visual performance based on a large number of simulated seeing distance tests and glare discomfort checks on a standardized test route. The output of the Model, termed the Figure of Merit, is the percentage of the distance traveled by the simulated driver on the standardized test route in which the seeing distance to pedestrians and pavement lines, and the discomfort glare levels experienced by opposing drivers, simultaneously meet certain acceptance criteria.