Short-Term Comfort Evaluation Of Two Types Of Seats In Level 3 And 4 Vehicles

Master thesis (2024)

Authors

Z. Zhang Industrial Design Engineering

Contributors

Y Song Emerging Materials (mentor)
S. Anjani Emerging Materials (mentor)
dave Withey (mentor)
Faculty
Industrial Design Engineering
More Info
expand_more

Published Date

20-08-2024

Language

English

Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Faculty

Industrial Design Engineering

Abstract

This study investigates the ergonomic needs and comfort levels associated with Non-Driving Related Activities (NDRAs) in Level 3 and Level 4 automated vehicles, focusing on the impact of seating posture, seat adjustment, and pressure distribution. Through a combination of seat adjustment data, skeleton tracking, and pressure analysis, the research identifies the most comfortable postures and evaluates the performance of two different car seats. The findings reveal significant differences in pressure distribution and subjective comfort, particularly in the upper back and neck regions. Users exhibited a preference for more reclined and relaxed postures in Level 4 settings, highlighting the need for enhanced seat adjustability to accommodate individual body dimensions and postural preferences. The study emphasizes the importance of personalized seat features and adjustments to optimize user comfort in autonomous vehicles, providing valuable insights for future seat design in this rapidly evolving automotive landscape.