Publication

This master thesis was part of a research project which investigate assessment methods for a heterogeneous population of passengers in future vehicles. This master thesis aimed to investigate elderly and how aging affect seat belt fit and comfort for passengers in cars.

Two user studies were conducted to study belt fit and comfort of occupants in the front passenger seat. The first user study was used for comparing old and young participants. The second user study was performed at an exhibition with elderly visitors and aimed at investigating factors within the group of elderly.

A procedure was developed for the user studies which included structured interviews, observations, and documentation of different measurements. The interviews were used to study awareness, experience of discomfort and previous experiences as passengers in cars. The observations included photographs of the seated participants in the front passenger seat and standing outside the car. The photographs of the participants were used to analyze the seat belt fit and the posture of the participants. The measurements were used to document body related data as well as for measuring factors related to the seat and seat belt.

The results of the project show that aging in some aspects affect seat belt fit and comfort. The elderly participants were found to have a different posture which affected the seat belt fit compared to young. Furthermore, a difference was found in attitude, preference, and awareness between old and young. Elderly were found to be less aware of their seat belt fit and less explorative when it comes to adjusting the seat. Elderly were also found to prefer to sit higher to achieve a good field of sight compared to younger. Based on the findings 10 design guidelines were developed.