Dashboard Design Factors on Emotional Change: How Separation between Center-Fascia and Center-Console, Button Orientation and Button Arrangement Influence Emotion

Abstract

This study aims to find out which kind of car interior design factors influence human emotion change. A special focus was given on emotional effects of dashboard design. The selected design factors of dashboard, which are commonly observed in luxury cars, were the separation between center-fascia and center-console, the orientation of each button and the arrangement of buttons. Perceived luxuriousness and preference were measured out of seven points via an online questionnaire. It was hypothesized that i) when center-fascia and center-console are divided than when they are integrated, ii) when button orientation is horizontal than when it is vertical, iii) when buttons are arranged horizontally than when they are arranged vertically, perceived luxuriousness and preference would be increased. 2 x 2 x 2 repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted on perceived luxuriousness and preference with division, orientation and arrangement as factors. Results showed that when button orientation is horizontal, perceived luxuriousness and preference were higher. Perceived luxuriousness and preference were also higher when buttons are arranged horizontally. An interaction effect between button orientation and arrangement on preference was found. This implies that higher preference can be triggered when at least one factor is horizontal. No other significant effects were found.This study was conducted to make a car interior design guideline which associates particular design factors that trigger particular emotional response. Future studies should investigate low-level psychological elements and conduct factor analysis of various emotional adjectives. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.