Utveckling av nästa generations instrumentbräda

Abstract

It is expected that by 2025, legal requirements concerning the driver’s frontal and diagonal view are to be implemented. Volvo Trucks hope to satisfy the requirements by lowering the dashboard by approximately 20 cm and in the process redesign the majority of the interface to improve its usability. This project intended to produce an understanding of drivers’ needs and requirements for such a redesign. It also culminates in a visual solution proposal composing aspects of driver’s vision and usability. During the project, users' perception regarding the driver's vision as well as the interface and its following functions have been analyzed to assert current and future user needs and requirements. It was made clear that the vision near the vehicle was highly limited, especially in the area of the A-pillars. Also, a multitude of needs were established regarding the design of the functional interface, where aspects such as availability, prioritization and disposition of interface elements wore significant importance. A specification of requirements to determine the direction of a redesign was composed through empirical studies and analyses of these matters. A preliminary design process supported by the requirement specification created a variety of draft solutions incorporating visual and functional design. Through analysis and user evaluation these were concatenated to produce a final design which lowers the dashboard by an average of 20 cm. It also accommodates for an increased digitalization of the user interface whilst respecting usability aspects. Overall, the result satisfies the requirement specification and contributes to a less risk-involving driving as a result of an increase of driver vision.