Ergonomics in the Automotive Design Process: Concepts, Issues and Methods

Automotive design continues to evolve at a rapid pace. As electric cars become ever more commonplace on the roads to the advent of the driverless vehicle, understanding the ergonomics behind automotive engineering becomes ever more paramount. Vehicle attributes must be considered early during the new vehicle development program by coordinated work of multi-disciplinary teams to begin creating vehicle specifications and development of vehicle attribute requirements. In Ergonomics in the Automotive Design Process: Concepts, Issues and Methods, Vivek D. Bhise covers the need-to-know fundamentals as to what makes an ergonomically sound vehicle. This book covers the entire range of ergonomics issues involved in designing a car or truck and offers evaluation techniques to avoid costly mistakes and assure high customer satisfaction. Across 13 chapters, vehicle design and the attributes of vehicle handling, appearance (interior and exterior styling), safety and security, infotainment, noise and vibrations, emissions, costs and process compatibility are considered in the context of ergonomics. New material to this edition includes coverage of ergonomics in the systems engineering process, decision-making and risks in automotive product programs and ergonomic considerations in electric vehicle development. This book will allow the reader to develop a more comprehensive knowledge of issues facing the developers of automotive products and delivers methods to manage communication, coordination and integration processes. It provides more tools in implementing systems engineering to minimize the risks of delays and cost overruns, and most importantly, creates the right product for its customers. The reader will develop a knowledge of future in- vehicle devices that are easy to program and use, safe, cheap to manufacture and assemble and are eco-friendly From an author with over forty years of experience in automotive design, this title is an ideal read for students and practitioners of ergonomics, human factors, automotive design, civil engineering, product design, work design and mechanical engineering. Vivek D. Bhise is currently a LEO Lecturer/ Visiting Professor and a Professor in post-retirement of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He received his B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering (1965) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India, M.S. in Industrial Engineering (1966) from the University of California, Berkeley, and PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering (1971) from the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. During 1973 to 2001, he held several management and research positions at the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan.