How Do We Sit When Our Car Drives for Us?

Abstract

With increasing automation in the passenger vehicle, the role of the driver in the vehicle will change. The driver will spend more time and attention on the non-driving-related tasks (NDRTs). How the driver sits while conducting the NDRTs in a highly automated vehicle is investigated in this study. 25 participants were invited to an experiment in a vehicle mock-up, which simulates the highly automated vehicle on level 3 and level 4. Video recordings of their NDRTs and corresponding sitting postures were analyzed qualitatively and documented by encoding the positions within four body sections. The analysis shows the most common sitting postures for each NDRT. A higher number and more variations of the sitting postures were observed at level 4 than at level 3. A considerable effect of the automation levels was found in the torso position and leg position. Generous space in front of the seat enables the participant to perform a bigger range of movement and postures. The results of this study can be used as a reference for predicting NDRTs according to the performed sitting postures and vice versa. Moreover, this study contributes to the space management of interior design in the future.