Analysis of vehicle selection criteria of older drivers using evaluation grid method

Abstract

In aged society, consideration on older drivers will be more important. In order to clarify the needs of current and future older drivers at the point of purchase, evaluation grid method was applied. The results showed that ease of getting on and off a car should be considered and it was already pointed out for a long time. In addition, it was showed that safety, comfort, and confidence, which were related to fundamental aspects of driving, were also important for older drivers. Though normal interview or questionnaire was not powerful enough, evaluation grid method was able to show some aspects of the needs of older drivers. Therefore, this study showed the effectiveness of evaluation grid method to clarify needs of older users and the results can be applied for designing vehicles with consideration on older drivers.