Comfort Evaluation of Passenger Cars The Development of a Simplified Test Procedure

In evaluating passenger cars on aspects related to personal comfort and ease of operation, subjective (judgment) as well as objective (measurement) methods can be used. Under contract with a consumers' association three groups of six passenger cars were tested. It was investigated whether an existing questionnaire (subjective method) could be replaced

by a simpler one without loss of relevant information and also whether the test procedure could be shortened. The results are in favor of a much simplified and therefore economically more justified test procedure. Furthermore, especially with regard to vibration and the driver's outward visibility, the results of subjective and objective methods were compared. The relative advantages of each are discussed.