Abstract
This article describes the human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) design considerations of the accelerator and brake pedal configuration of a 1970 automobile in which a driver experienced unintended acceleration, resulting in injuries to a pedestrian when the car suddenly backed into him. HF/E experts were consulted by the attorneys for the defendant and for the plaintiff in the ensuing lawsuit. Their procedures, analyses, and conclusions centered on the requirements for the vertical and horizontal separations between the accelerator and the brake pedals to minimize inadvertent operation of the accelerator pedal when braking was intended.
Subject
General Engineering,Human Factors and Ergonomics
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