Rethinking the Assessment of Driveability – A Conceptual Approach

Authors

Dr. phil. Stefan Ladwig, Anna-Lena Köhler, MSc., Prof. Dr.phil. Maximilian Schwalm,
Institute for Automotive Engineering (ika), RWTH Aachen University,
Aachen

Summary

In automotive engineering, driveability is a prominent term to describe driver experience and performance of passenger cars. However, precondition for an appropriate evaluation of driveability is the methodologically correct assessment of subjective driver ratings. Previous approaches merely focused on expert ratings as
well as technical aspects by largely neglecting comprehensive subjective ratings of the actual target group – the customer. Amongst others the present conceptual approach addresses this situation by
A) decomposing driveability into reasonable constructs like vertical, longitudinal, transverse dynamics as well as their inherent
components,
B) regarding multiple driving scenarios and
C) using items understandable for the target group. The psychological state-of-the-art construction of subjective questionnaires aiming at the assessment of each construct completes our concept. In two pilots we have already successfully shown that our approach can be reliably applied for both the subjective assessment of longitudinal dynamics of passenger cars and steering feel in heavy trucks. The final scope of the current
development of this conceptual approach is to create a reliable and valid methodology to assess subjectively perceived vehicle dynamics and to provide a benchmarking tool in the long term.

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