Effect of Car Cabin Environment on Driver's Comfort and Fatigue

Objective of this research is to evaluate the car cabin environment on the driver's comfort and fatigue.

In the first experiment, subjects were exposed to 4 conditions, performing 3 kinds of simulated driving task. The visual recognition and reaction task developed in this study was adequate to be used for evaluation of driver's performance and fatigue. When the break up time (BUT) of subjects' eyes gets shorter due to indoor environment, their performance would become lower. Female subjects were more sensitive in eye comfort and visual fatigue than males.

In the second experiment, subjects stayed for 90 minutes in a car cabin with 2 humidity conditions, performing the Visual recognition and reaction task. Humidity in car cabin affected human skin moisture and humidity sensation. BUT at low humidity was shorter than at high humidity although no statistically significant difference was observed in eye dryness sensation and visual fatigue. Higher accuracy in answer rate and lower general fatigue was observed at low humidity. Car cabin environment was found to affect driver's comfort, performance and fatigue.