Relative Controllability of Dissimilar Cars

Abstract

Using two driving tasks, two different tars were compared for handling ease. In one task, test drivers were able to track a tightly winding course more accurately with the smaller of the two vehicles. In the other task, there were no differences between the two cars as measured by the time required to complete a parallel parking maneuver. To see if the driver reference point differed from car to car another test was run to find the point of minimum variance on the long axis of two quite different vehicles. This point of minimum variance, as measured from the driver's position, was found to be almost identical in each car.