Car Cockpit Research Articles

Driver workload and eye blink duration

The use of standardized methods in driver distraction research is essential for comparing results across studies. This work examined the effects of in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) usage on eye blinks in a simulated Lane Change Test (LCT), a simple driving task specifically designed by the International Organization for Standardization. Fifteen participants performed the LCT in a driving simulator in both single- and dual-task conditions, the latter manipulated by introducing an IVIS task in the car cockpit. Results suggest that blink duration (BD), with respect to blink rate (BR), is a more sensitive and reliable indicator of driver visual workload. Besides considering mean BD values, a detailed analysis revealed that the distribution of BD follows a Gaussian-like curve in normal driving conditions: three duration classes (short, medium, long) were extracted from such distribution, and changes happening to each class were analyzed within the dual-task conditions. Short and long blinks reflect, respectively, the effects of visual workload and time on task: more short blinks occur with an IVIS interaction during driving, while more long blinks arise as time spent driving increases. These results may have practical implications for system design in automotive.

Transient Heat Transfer Model for Car Body Primer Curing

� Abstract—A transient heat transfer mathematical model for the prediction of temperature distribution in the car body during primer baking has been developed by considering the thermal radiation and convection in the furnace chamber and transient heat conduction governing equations in the car framework. The car cockpit is considered like a structure with six flat plates, four vertical plates representing the car doors and the rear and front panels. The other two flat plates are the car roof and floor. The transient heat conduction in each flat plate is modeled by the lumped capacitance method. Comparison with the experimental data shows that the heat transfer model works well for the prediction of thermal behavior of the car body in the curing furnace, with deviations below 5%.

Instructor Based Training versus Computer Based Training—A Comparative Study

This article describes two studies conducted to compare assembly performance and learning rate between computer based training and traditional training of skilled assembly operators. The studies were performed with pre-series production parts from a car cockpit and they were integrated as part of the overall training activities during a new vehicle product launch. The computer based training tool used was a desktop based commercial VR tool with focus on cognitive interactive procedural learning. Both studies indicate that computer based training can replace instructor based training for this level of assembly complexity and that it has a positive effect in preparing skilled operators.

Requirements management in practice: findings from an empirical study in the automotive industry

This paper presents an empirical study carried out in the automotive industry, with the aim to bring forward new experiences and knowledge on management of requirements in practice. Adopting a qualitative systems approach, and using multiple information sources, the requirements management process during the development of a passenger car cockpit has been mapped out. More specifically, the intention has been to identify and describe progress, changes, deviations, and compromises regarding the requirements and their fulfilment linked to the different phases of the product development. The logical reconstruction of the requirements management process is complemented with broad descriptions of associated phenomena, such as important events, organisational structures, competences, and attitudes. Findings are presented, analysed and discussed considering also factors underlying observed phenomena. Accompanying the empirical findings, the paper concludes with recommendations for constructive and efficient requirements management in practice.

6.5.3 Product Model for Requirements and Design Concept Management: Representing Design Alternatives and Rationale

AbstractThroughout the development of complex products, thousands of requirements are established, communicated, followed up, and verified. In addition, even more design solutions, at various levels of abstractions, are created, refined, evaluated, industrialised and verified during this period. Although design tools support the documentation and administration of the output of these activities, i.e. requirements and solutions, they lack the functionality to support the iterative gestation of requirements and design solutions as they are created. This paper illustrates how a product model, focusing on requirements and design concept management, can address these issues by incorporating design rationale, i.e. the reasoning and the justification underlying requirements and solutions considered, with the aim to close the gap between product models and design rationale models. The product model has been implemented in a commercial PDM software and its use is illustrated with the information from the design of a passenger car cockpit.

The seated man: geometry acquisition and three-dimensional reconstruction.

A three-dimensional (3D) virtual human body in seated position can be used in a wide range of applications such as basic or clinical research. A male cadaver placed in the driving position in a car cockpit was frozen. Strictly parallel 5 mm thickness serial sections were then performed. Both sides of the slices were photographed, scanned and analyzed by anatomists with software tools, in order to produce accurate contours of the identified anatomical structures. A 3D reconstruction of organs, based on the marching cubes method, was achieved except for thin structures. This allowed an anatomical validation of these reconstructed elements. The result of this work is a complete geometrical database of a seated human body in the driving position including skin, all bones, internal organs and main muscle groups.

6.2.5 Supporting Concept Development Using Quantitative Requirements Traceability

AbstractThis paper presents a product modeling system that supports the systems engineering process including qualitative and quantitative requirements traceability, and demonstrates its application in a case study of a passenger car cockpit. The system features a user interface that enables rapid trade studies. The paper further discusses how to introduce simulation models in the product development process and what kind of simulation models can be used during different development stages.

Finite element modelling and simulation of upper limb with radioss

The aim of this work is to understand the behaviour of the thoracic member (shoulder and arm) in case of side impact in motor vehicle accidents, and to identify tolerance criteria for this body region. In order to describe the dynamics involved in such impacts, and to focus on injuries mechanisms, a finite element model of the thoracic member was developed and validated with 3 Post Mortem Human Surrogates (PMHS). The geometry of the whole model was obtained from serial sections of a PMHS in driving position. It includes compact bones, ligaments, muscles and connective tissues, described with either shells, solids or spring elements. Concerning mechanical behaviour, bones and soft tissues are considered respectively as elastoplastic and viscoelastic materials. Numerical interfaces were also defined to model contacts between all components. The model was then integrated in a complete human model. Validation consisted of performing 6 subsystems tests (impactor) on instrumented PMHS placed in a car cockpit: a lateral load (37 kg at 7.55 ds) was applied directly on the shoulder. Displacements and acceleration of bones, as well as applied loads were measured. After each trial, a dissection was done to identify any injury on bones or ligaments.

Using the Cocktail Party Effect as Driver Attention Control

In the current driving simulator experiment, two different alerting devices, presented to the audio and tactile sense modality respectively, were used to study the effects on driver attention control. The experiment was carried out at VTI, (Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute). While driving, the participants were distracted by a secondary task. An alerting device was then used to make the driver aware of the fact that he was distracted and to make his focus of attention switch back to the main task of driving. The hypothesis was that the audio device, in form of a voice calling out the driver's own name, would produce a more rapid switch of attention than the tactile device, in form of vibrations in the car cockpit. The study can be of use when designing a potential device for controlling driver's attention while driving to reduce car accidents.

Car cockpit equalization by warping filters

Sound reproduction within a car inside is a difficult task. Reverberation, reflection, echo, noise and vibration are some of the issues to account for. A first step in the direction of increasing sound comfort is that of equalizing the acoustic pressure response in the frequency domain. A direct solution is that of implementing with a convolution filter the inverse of the acoustic measurements in the car cockpit. However this often results in very high number of taps, therefore more complex techniques must be adopted, which rely also on psychoacoustics considerations. In this paper automatic tools to develop warping inverse filters for target car cockpits was designed and validated through experiments in commercial cars.