LoginThe main motivation behind research on control of the thermal environment inside a vehicle cabin, is since long time thermal comfort for the passengers. However, the consequences of bad thermal control in vehicle cabs go beyond the aspect of personnel thermal comfort: the processes of driver sleepiness and fatigue, two major causes for traffic accidents worldwide, are unambiguously
influenced by the present thermal comfort. This research intends to make a start with the integration
of thermal comfort features in driver sleepiness and fatigue research. A total of 132 experiments on
11 test subjects are carried out in a driving simulator under laboratory conditions. Both the objective
comfort parameter Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and the Metabolic rate are on-line calculated and
evaluated with regard to driver sleepiness and fatigue. The presented measurement technique allows accurate real-time recording of both parameters. Furthermore, the metabolic rate of the driver delivers clear indications of the presence of driver fatigue. On the other hand, driver sleepiness induced no detectable changes in both parameters.
Thermal comfort (PMV) and Metabolic Rate as dynamic monitors for driver sleepiness and fatigue.
Year:
2004
Bibliographic info:
RoomVent 2004, 9th international conference in University of Coimbra - Portugal, 5-8th september 2004, pp 5, 6 Fig., 2 Tab., 9 Ref.