Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluations of Physical Fatigue during Long-term Driving

Abstract

In a previous study, we developed and validated a new driving posture fucused on biomechanical loads for physical fatifue reduction by biomechanical analysis and long-term driving. In this study, the posture was eveluated i dynamic long-term driving condition by qualitative and quantitative measurements. The results showed physical fatigue of the new posture was halved in comparison with the one of the conventional posture in same car configuration by subjective evaluations. Physiological indices had same tendency with subjective evaluations. From the results, we extracted seven physiological indices as good measures of physical fatigue while driving. Therefore, fatifue reduction of the new posture was qualitatively validated by physilogical mreasurements.