Exploring the optimum posture for driver comfort

Abstract

Published postural angles for driving comfort are based on theoretical calculations and not observed driving postures. An experiment was conducted to investigate observed optimum driving postures and positions of the main driving controls for comparison with available data. New guidelines for optimum postural comfort have been developed. The recommended range of postural angles should be used with care because not all people will be comfortable with the whole range as individuals. Furthermore, inter-relationships between adjacent joint angles need to be considered. The data also support a strong need for both horizontal and vertical adjustment in the steering wheel.