Projector DIOA PDF (PDF)

DRIVING INDEPENDENCE
FOR OLDER ADULTS
Design for America + Chrysler

MAINTENANCE ALERTS & WARNINGS
BEST PRACTICES

Virginia Tech’s Design For America Studio
Kristina Danielyan

Sunny Mozhi

Ali Roghani

Jahan Shiekhy

Grady Wagner

$2,000,000,000
worth of accidents
occur yearly due to
poor car maintenance.

600,000 seniors give up

driving each year.

The number
of elderly
drivers is

increasing.
While cars have become safer and more convenient to
use, they can still be challenging for seniors to operate.
Some of these future areas of innovation are car navigation,
connectivity, and maintenance alerts and warnings.
Our studio chose to focus on improving the latter.

RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY

In order to determine the approach we would use in researching our best practices guidelines, our team used a composite of
several research methedologies to inform our research process. We used a basis formed by the DFA Process Book and its
project guidelines, and adjusted it using techniques used by Lextant, a design research firm Chrysler is familiar with, who
recently taught a Design Research module to the Virginia Tech industrial design junior class.

How Can We ...
How can we create a set of best practice guidelines that can be used to improve the maintenance alert and warning design in cars?
Our Definition of Best Practices: Research findings that recommend specifications for better, user-mindful design. The outline would include warnings against failed features, as well as notes about positive and effective product or system features. Ideally, best practices recommendations can
be applied across a variety of projects.
Guiding Questions: What action patterns define senior drivers? What are their comfort zones? What are the pain points in current designs? What is the ideal-state solution?

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Let’s face it - no
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So which
alerts inform the
ir drivers
of facts they mis
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manual? Ex: transm
ission fluid

Important Alerts
- Oil change
- Worn suspension
- Tire pressure and - Battery
rotation.
- Door left open
- Transmission fluid - Missing airbag
- Wiper fluid
- Seatbelt
- Worn breaks
- Fluids top-off
- Brake pads
- Overheating
- Filters
Engine filter

Fuel
Indicators

Maintenance
Recommend
ations

Car Alerts
& Warnings

Vehicle
Performance
Alerts

Interesting note: sen
iors who
fixed their older car
s, which
operated on simpler
engines,
are more mechnaic
ally-savvy
than younger adu
lts, who
drive models they
themselves
can’t fix..

Rising Car
Problems

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Preliminary Research
Findings

We’re Good Drivers!

Likes/Dislikes of Current Features

Driving + Psychological impact

Afraid to drive because others drivers are not cautious enough.

They don’t like the beep that happens with reversals.

They beleive that that their bodies are going before their minds are.

Most accidents involve other drivers, who seniors perceive as
rude and dangerous.

They do enjoy having a light on their mirrors that lights up when a
car is driving in their blind spot.

Seniors enjoy having control over their driving vs being passive.

Prefer to take their time and figure something out the first time
they do it, rather than learn through trial and error.

Driving a car allows seniors to maintain control and lead autonomous lives.

Driving Habits and Patterns

However...
Some seniors don’t buckle up while driving despite the seat-belt
alert beeping continuously.
When they retake their driver’s test, many fail but continue driving
anyways.

Drives once to get all the out-of-house tasks done at the same
time.

What They Think of Technology

Prefer driving in slower, more controlled traffic, like on local
roads.

They are wary of technology if older, but not necessarily if 65.

Seniors often stop driving to alleviate worries of family, especially
if they’ve gotten lost before

In risky situations, they don’t trust technology to keep them
informed. They need to verify if they’re hitting anything with their
own eyes.

Market Research

2009 VW Rabbit

2007 Toyota Corolla

+
The radio display has very
minimal information.
Minimal radio controls.
AC controls have large,
iconic labels.
Rather than overloading
the central dashboard,
some controls are on the
steering wheel, within
easy reach.

_
All buttons are the same
color on the dashboard,
which makes them harder
to distinguish.
The fuel gauge and some
other important indicators
are small.
The symbols used to
show the functions of the
various dials are difficult to
understand.

+
The colors of the radio
control and gear shifte
contrast the dashboard.
All “typical” dashboard
controls are within range.
The speedometer has
minimal gauge.
Radio display shows minimal information.
Radio buttons are distinctly shaped and placed.

2011 Chrysler Town and Country

_
The AC controls have
very small labels that are
difficult to read.
The radio has many
different controls e.g.
treble, bass. What kind/
percentage of drivers truly
use these settings?
How would GPS or
screen fit in?
Again, the symbols used
to show the functions of
the various dials are difficult to understand.

+
Radio control and gear
shifter color contrasts
dashboard, easier to
identify.
Touchscreen is large and
appears to have a simple
set of options.
Gauges behind wheel are
high contrast and easy to
read.
Easy-to-reach controls on
the wheel.

_
A large number of controls
spread over a huge area.
Individualized AC controls
and display may be unnecessary and confusing.
CD and radio controls are
at opposite ends of control
panel.

Interview with Professor
James Wightman
This hour-long expert senior interview gave us a foundation on vehicle
interfaces and the senior perspective on driving and its importance.

Key Transcript Highlights
“Despite higher speed limits, driving has become safer over my
63 years of driving experience due to better road conditions and
maintenance.

I would prefer indicators not directly on the dashboard where they
will not interfere visually. They should be somewhere that is easily accessible so they can be checked often.

I am worried that other drivers aren’t paying attention to peripheral vision.

There are too many alerts nowadays. I think that the Essentials
are fuel, engine temperature, air pressure, and water in radiator.

My friends do not feel comfortable driving on the interstate.
They are willing to drive much further on a different road to
avoid it.

Other than the essentials I would like a radio with only tuning and
volume knobs, temperature adjustment with digital scale, a fan
speed adjustment with numbered increments, display of where
fan blows, Hi-beam and low-beam indicators, and a windshield
wiper indicator to tell when worn.

I am worried when trucks are driving close to me because I do
not feel like I have control if anything were to happen.

I feel like side view mirrors don’t always give the best view. For
example blindspots can be very dangerous

I think that taking away a driver’s license might as well put someone in a coffin. Then you need to depend on others or public
transportation.
It is hard for a person to look inside and say you can’t drive
anymore.

I like the idea of a backup camera with the display screen up
front. It could help with judging distance.

I have been driving a long time, and I can drive for many years
more.

I feel like more people should use cruise control to regulate
their speed.

I think that the driving test is absurdly simple in comparison to the
test to get your pilot’s license.

I think that digital speedometers would also help regulate
speed.

I am worried that my seatbelt might not work when I need it.
They seems to be overlooked due to their simplicity, but they are
an essential safety component. Airbags make me feel safer.”

When there is traffic there is a lot to process.

I would like a GPS that gives lane suggestions and speed limit
for unknown roads.
It could even give you an indication if you go a certain mph over
speed limit.
I really think people should get the driver’s test re-administered
every certain amount of years. Passing it once should not get
you a license for life, especially with changing laws.