Design parameters for an elevated driving posture

Studies have shown that whilst emissions from passenger vehicles have fallen in the last 20-years, emissions from light commercial vehicles (LCVs) have risen. An elevated driving seat will result in a driving posture higher than in conventional vehicles and will benefit vehicle deign in terms of a reduction in vehicles’ mass potentially resulting in reduced emissions. This paper reports on a study with the objective of identifying the static seat design parameters for such an elevated seat. A sample of 20 commercial drivers (10 males, 10 females) aged 19-65, were recruited for the study. A driving rig was designed and built to offer nine key seat sub-component adjustments, deemed highly important to selecting a comfortable driving set up. Each sub-component was adjusted in an iterative process to define an optimum position for each driver and was then recorded along with participant verbatim. Results indicated that leg length is a good predictor of the seat height and the distance from the pedals (PH Gap) and that sitting height is a good predictor for the positioning of the backrest. The preferred length of the seat base was much shorter and the width much wider, respectively, than that observed in current LCVs.