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Related Experiment Videos

Driving performance in cold, warm, and thermoneutral environments.

Hein A M Daanen1, Evert van de Vliert, Xu Huang

  • 1Department of Work Environment, Thermal Physiology group, TNO Human Factors, P.O. Box 23 Soesterberg, The Netherlands. daanen@tm.tno.nl

Applied Ergonomics
|October 16, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Driving performance declines in extreme temperatures. Maintaining a thermoneutral car environment enhances driving performance and safety, while manual climate controls can be distracting.

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Area of Science:

  • Human Factors
  • Environmental Psychology
  • Automotive Safety

Background:

  • Driving performance is known to decrease at high ambient temperatures.
  • The impact of low temperatures and subjective factors like thermal comfort on driving is less understood.
  • The role of user control over in-car climate systems requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of cold, thermoneutral, and warm ambient temperatures on driving performance.
  • To assess the influence of subjective thermal comfort on driving.
  • To determine the impact of user control over a heater/blower (H/B) system on driving performance and comfort.

Main Methods:

  • Fifty subjects performed a road-tracking task under three ambient temperature conditions: cold (5°C), thermoneutral (20°C), and warm (35°C).

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  • A heater/blower (H/B) system was provided, with conditions involving either controlled or uncontrolled operation.
  • Measurements included driving performance, leg and head skin temperatures, and subjective thermal comfort ratings.

    • Main Results:

    • Driving performance decreased by 16% in the cold and 13% in the warm conditions compared to thermoneutral.
    • Extreme temperatures led to significant drops in leg and head skin temperatures (cold) or rises (warm), with corresponding discomfort ratings ('cold' to 'very cold' or 'hot').
    • Control over the local head temperature via the H/B did not significantly affect thermal comfort or driving performance. Subjects primed with a no-control condition performed better, suggesting a focus on the driving task.

    Conclusions:

    • A thermoneutral car interior optimizes driving performance and potentially enhances safety.
    • Extreme ambient temperatures negatively impact driving performance.
    • Manual climate control operation in extreme temperatures may distract drivers and interfere with the primary driving task.