You\u2019re about to head home from work; you\u2019ve had a long day at the office and you\u2019re ready to put your feet up. \u00a0Sinking back into leather seats is a great feeling, even cloth seats are fine because what you really need is supportive, relaxing seats for the drive home through congested traffic.\u00a0 Great seats and a comfortable driving position are important features for a great drive, but what can really add to the relaxed feel of driving is the car\u2019s layout for the driver.<\/p>\n
So what is ergonomics?\u00a0 To some it might sound like a word associated with flying and aeroplanes. \u00a0Ergonomics does have links to an aeroplane’s cockpit, and so too can you use the word in association with the driver\u2019s space inside a motor car.\u00a0 Ergonomics is all about the study of designing equipment and devices that fit well to the human body, its movements and its cognitive abilities.<\/p>\n
Well designed cars consider the ergonomics related to the driver.\u00a0 Features like the steering wheel, indicators, switches for lights, fan and air-conditioning controls, audio unit switches, gear lever, central on-board computer controls, the alignment of the driver\u2019s seat with the pedals, electric window switches and door handles should all be within easy reach of the driver.<\/p>\n
The driving experience would be awful in a car that had switchgear and controls beyond the natural reach of the driver. \u00a0A car that offered bad driving ergonomics might also be considered as being less safe than a car with good driving ergonomics because the driver\u2019s attention could get tied up with correcting the stereo\u2019s volume over avoiding the oncoming car!\u00a0 None of us would want to settle for second rate ergonomics these days.<\/p>\n
Modern car designers do put a lot of thought into the area of ergonomics, however some cars are still better than others, and it would be advisable that you consider a car\u2019s ergonomics carefully before purchasing a brand new set of wheels. This would avoid disappointment and dissatisfaction a month or two into your ownership period.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s worth being a kid again and spending time inside a car to get familiar with what button does what.\u00a0 Car\u2019s that are too complicated for their own good might have all the bells and whistles but be too complex to use on a day-to-day basis. \u00a0The new millennia BMW 7 Series was often criticised for having far too many buttons located on the central dash area.\u00a0 You just about required a degree to make the luxury features work the way you wanted them to.\u00a0 BMW listened to the complaints of the car\u2019s ergonomics and have improved the newer 7 Series cars immensely.<\/p>\n
Remember, a car doesn\u2019t necessarily need to be flash in order to provide top ergonomics.\u00a0 Even your trusty ten year old Toyota Corolla may have better ergonomics than the latest Mercedes Benz.\u00a0 Sometimes good ergonomics just comes down to owner\u2019s preference, however, more often than not, a car\u2019s good ergonomics reliably satisfies drivers of all shapes and sizes all the time.\u00a0 In the eighties and nineties, Saab was heralded as having the most ergonomically sound cars.\u00a0 Saab knew this and continued to sell new models with similar ergonomics of older models.\u00a0 As the years went by, of course, they were criticised for being unadventurous in the dashboard design.\u00a0 But all it took was for drivers of these Saab cars to be behind the wheel for any lengthy period of time, then they would soon appreciate how relaxing, comfortable and easy to use they actually were.<\/p>\n