Supporting ergonomics in automotive design

Ergonomics has a vital part to play in the design of automobiles, not only in relation to person-machine interfaces, but also in relation to the whole design philosophy. As ergonomists, we believe that adoption of a more user-centred approach would lead to vehicles more fitted to the requirements of future driving populations. This paper reviews the climate in which automotive design is taking place and reports the findings from a survey investigating current approaches to design and ergonomics in European automotive companies. The results indicate an unsystematic approach to the incorporation of user issues and a need for designers¹ to be better equipped with ergonomics information. Two things need to happen before ergonomics can be incorporated more effectively into automotive design - a change in the process itself and a reformation in the way in which ergonomics information is presented to designers. It concludes by describing the development of Web-based ergonomics information resources and a design decision support system, ADECT (Automotive Designers' Ergonomics Clarification Toolset), which promotes user-centred design.