Driver's field of view from large vehicles: phase 4 - final report.

Driver's field of view from large vehicles: phase 4 - final report

Motor vehicle and pedal cycle conspicuity: part 2 - pedal cycles. Final report: product decoding guide.

Motor vehicle and pedal cycle conspicuity: part 2 - pedal cycles. Final report: product decoding guide

Summary of motor vehicle and pedal cycle conspicuity: part 2 -pedal cycles

• Do flashing lights improve conspicuity ? If it is found that they do, then suitable performance characteristics must be developed; • Do steady LED’s provide adequate conspicuity ? If it is found that they do, then suitable performance characteristics must be developed; • Do existing and proposed legislation and standards provide adequate conspicuity ? If they do not, then proposed improvements must be developed.; • Do existing and proposed legislation and standards provide adequate front illumination ? If they do not then proposed amendments must be developed

Driver's field of view from large vehicles: phase 3 - report

In response to DETR’s request to investigate ways and means of improving the drivers’ field of view from HGV’s, coaches and buses, nine representative vehicles were evaluated using CAD man-modelling techniques. Evaluation was made against a benchmark field of view requirement which was developed by ICE Ergonomics and based upon the swept path envelopes of large vehicles whilst manoeuvring and on road layout and design considerations. Each vehicle was assessed using eye-points for the 5th %ile female and 95th %ile male driver. Where a driver’s field of view fell significantly short of the benchmark requirement a number of improvement options were investigated. Predominantly, the options selected were those which were most cost-effective and entailed the use of additional and modified wide angle mirrors on both the near-side and off-side of the vehicle. When reversing, driver’s visual coverage of the blind zone to the immediate rear was provided by a CCTV system. To ensure that the CAD modelled solutions did not have a detrimental effect on other aspects of the driving task, and before road trials were conducted on the public highway, a number of user tests were carried out under controlled experimental conditions. Results showed that the minimum radii of curvature, currently stipulated for rear view mirrors, could be reduced without causing significantly greater numbers of driver judgement errors compared with existing mirror specifications. Final verification of the field of view improvement specification proposed was achieved through road trials using drivers in modified large vehicles

Driver's field of view from large vehicles: phase 2 - report

The overall objective of this phase of the study has been to identify problems with drivers’ field of view from current large vehicles. A large survey of drivers, operators and manufacturers was conducted which identified a number of issues pertaining to drivers’ field of view, vehicle design and road environment. On the basis of this information, as well as a continuing review of accident data and analysis of vehicle swept path plots, it has been possible to develop a first stage field of view requirement. The field of view requirement defines areas around a vehicle which the driver should be able to see or otherwise detect objects. At this stage the field of view requirement does not stipulate whether this should be by direct or indirect means. It is an aim of the Phase 3 report to make recommendations for the most appropriate means of achieving the requirement. The development of the field of view requirement has provided the necessary criteria by which current vehicle designs and the adequacy of current Regulations and Directives are being assessed. The assessment of existing Regulations and Directives has already identified inadequacies in their application to large vehicles which points to specific areas for new or amended regulations. The short list of vehicles which will be used to quantify the effectiveness of current vehicle designs has been made. These vehicles have been precisely measured to produce the dimensional data necessary to carry out the Man-Model CAD assessment. The vehicles have been successfully modelled and the field of view assessment is in progress. The development of solutions and methods to improve drivers’ field of view from large vehicles will be undertaken in parallel with the field of view assessment and the findings will be reported separately

Quality and field of vision - a review of the needs of drivers and riders: phase 1 report.

It is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) to promote safe use of the UK road network. Driver vision has been identified as major determinant to this and factors which impede it require further investigation. This project is specifically concerned with the effect on driver / rider vision of: • windscreen and visor tinting, installed light transmission, haze, abrasion, damage and repair, • the use and positioning of wider structural member (particularly A-pillars) to improve crashworthiness, aerodynamics and rigidity. The first phase of the work is to understand the current status regarding the above factors and the rationale for it. A variety of sources have been consulted for this information including: • establishing contact with interested parties, • reviewing and establishing the basis of EC Directives and other regulations, • reviewing and summarising previous, current and proposed research, • analysing available accident data, • interviewing drivers and riders. A detailed work plan for the remainder of the project has been developed based on the results of the Phase 1 findings and on the professional experience ICE Ergonomics has in this field

Anthropometric study to update minimum aircraft seating standards

This study was initiated by the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) under UK Civil Aviation Authority funding. The study was undertaken against a background trend of generally increasing body dimensions within the European population. This trend, when combined with an increasing number of longer duration flights and high density seating, prompted the need for a wide-ranging review of published anthropometric data that would guide JAA when considering the need for any regulation in this area. It should be noted that this report concentrates on the safety issues associated with seating arrangements. The specific aim is to ensure that seating standards are such that passengers would be able to quickly evacuate an aircraft in the event of an emergency. Thus, the study considers seating accommodation against expected population body dimensions. Software modelling has been used to make an initial assessment of the relationship between seating dimensions and evacuation difficulties. The health implications of aircraft seating are also considered. However, the comfort aspects of aircraft seating did not form part of the research study