Ergonomy of the inside of a motorcar cabin used by a person with locomotive disability- a case study investigations of the subjective discomfort sensation

The study presents results of investigations carried out in the course of driving a motorcar by a person with a locomotive disability. Driving tests were conducted in road conditions, The scope of the performed analysis covered investigations concerning somatic and receptor relationships in the man - technical means system and, to a lesser extent, dealt with the psychological aspects of vehicle driving. The investigations employed selected methods of identification of expectations from direct users - questionnaire and interview. Initial investigations were carried out for one person with a locomotive disability (paraplegia). The authors used tests for the determination of subjective sensations during motorcar driving (comfort test and seat comfort). The employed questionnaire tools used verbal and point scales. The final result of initial experiments is a description of the adjustment of the vehicle with equipment (manually-operated accelerator - brake device) to the requirements of the driver with a locomotive disability on the basis of the driver 's subjective sensations of discomfort. This type of Information obtained in the form meeting the wishes or demands of the user provides the basis for the elaboration of design requirements. The results indicate that a typical driver's space designed for an able-bodied person does not fully meet the requirements of a person with a locomotive disability.