Comparing the preferred driving postures between Chinese and French drivers

19th Triennial Congress of the IEA, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIE, 09-/08/2015 - 14/08/2015The effects of seat height and anthropometric dimensions on preferred driving posture were investigated using a multi-adjustable mock-up in the present study. More specifically, Chinese and French drivers were compared. Sixty-one subjects (40 ?French-born' and 21 ?Chinese-born') participated in the experiment, covering a large range of stature and sitting height to stature ratio. Preferred driving postures were collected from three seat heights fixed at 250, 300 and 350 mm. Apart from hip fore-aft position, seat height only affected trunk-thigh angle while all other inter-segment angles including trunk inclination were kept invariant. Differences were only found in trunk related angles between different participant groups. Shorter persons tended to have a less inclined trunk while they had almost the same trunk-thigh angle as taller persons. Chinese participants had a more opened trunk-thigh angle and a more inclined trunk due to the fact that their hips were positioned more forward in the seat. Results support the assumption that the inter-segmental (joint) angles of the preferred driving posture are not dependent on driver's anthropometry