Integrating vehicle design and human factors: minimizing elderly driving constraints

With a projected rise in the number of elderly, most of whom have also reli ed primarily on the private automobile for their mobility, it is likely tha t future adaptations in vehicle design will be linked in some part to the p hysical infirmities often faced by the elderly. This paper offers a bridge between medical research on the physical impairments of the elderly and aut omobile design and driving safety. We describe recent findings on the drivi ng-related physical and cognitive impairments faced by the elderly. We then propose two major types of vehicle design and infrastructure adaptations: (I) modifications for private vehicles, and (2) intelligent technology and support services for private vehicles, which can help to minimize the drivi ng-related effects of these impairments. For example, we present a range of modest vehicle design adaptations for components such as seats and doorway s, handles, knobs, and steering wheels, and seat belts. We find that many o f these improvements can be made to standard passenger vehicles with little additional design effort, and that the adaptations should also increase ov erall vehicle marketability. Finally, we argue that while most, if not all, of our proposed adaptations would be made to largely benefit the elderly, they will nevertheless support and improve driving across all age groups. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.