This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
A Consumer Utility Model of Automotive Seating Comfort: Discomfort, Comfort Character, and Expectations
Technical Paper
2014-01-0454
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
Experience tells us that one can develop a technically comfortable seat where the seat fits and supports the occupant. The pressure distribution is optimized and the seat and packaging are such that a good posture is attainable by many. The dynamic characteristics of the seat and the vehicle are technically good. Despite all this the customer is not satisfied. Despite it being a technically comfortable seat, it does meet the customers' expectations and/or priorities and thus the comfort provided is lacking. This paper seeks to explore that gap between the seat and the user by modeling comfort using techniques similar to those found in the social sciences where models often focus on user or individual behavior. The model is built upon but diverges from the Cobb Douglas consumer utility model found in economics. It is presented as theory and presents a very different perspective on comfort. The model should be used not as a replacement but a complement to the more traditional technical models of comfort that model the seat. For the purposes of this paper a technical model of comfort refers to objective seat and vehicle data that theoretically quantifies comfort. A technical model can include complex characteristics like cushioning, fit, posture, and others. It may also include pure seat data like foam hardness, seat shape, and seat adjustability. This theoretical model approaches comfort as a social scientist rather than engineer. It models the user's experience. The result is a comfort model that is a function of discomfort, luxury, and sportiness as well as expectations and priorities.
Recommended Content
| Technical Paper | Effect of Fabric Type and Construction on Automotive Seating Comfort |
| Technical Paper | Locating the Pelvis in the Seated Automobile Driver |
Topic
Citation
Pinkelman, B., "A Consumer Utility Model of Automotive Seating Comfort: Discomfort, Comfort Character, and Expectations," SAE Technical Paper 2014-01-0454, 2014, https://doi.org/10.4271/2014-01-0454.Also In
References
- Nicholson Walter Microeconomic Theory Basic Principals and Extensions 7 th Dryden Press 1998
- Reed , M. , Saito , M. , Kakishima , Y. , Lee , N. et al. An Investigation of Driver Discomfort and Related Seat Design Factors in Extended-Duration Driving SAE Technical Paper 910117 1991 10.4271/910117
- Reed , Matthew P. , Schneider Lawrence W. , and Ricci Leda L. Survey of auto seat design recommendations for improved comfort No. UMTRI-94-6 University of Michigan, Transportation Research Institute 1994 2000
- Yhang et all Identifying Factors of Comfort and Discomfort in Sitting Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society September 1996 38 377 389
- Griffin M J Handbook of Human Vibration Academic Press 1996
- Owen , Neville et al. Sedentary behavior: emerging evidence for a new health risk Mayo Clinic Proceedings 85 12 Mayo Foundation 2010
- Beach , Tyson AC et al. Effects of prolonged sitting on the passive flexion stiffness of the in vivo lumbar spine The Spine Journal 5.2 2005 145 154
- Kolich , M. Selected Car Seat Studies Dealing with Static Pressure Distribution SAE Technical Paper 2004-01-0377 2004 10.4271/2004-01-0377
- Kolich , M. Driver Selected Seat Position: Practical Applications SAE Technical Paper 2000-01-0644 2000 10.4271/2000-01-0644
- Page , Scott “Model Thinking” Coursera Class University of Michigan 2012
- Porter , J. M. , and Gyi D. E. The prevalence of musculoskeletal troubles among car drivers Occupational Medicine 52.1 2002 4 12
- JD Power and Associates 2012 JD Power 2012 APEAL Survey Vehicle Image Q32 Impression 2012