Further Investigations of Movement Time between Brake and Accelerator Pedals in Automobiles

Abstract

This report presents the results of continued studies into the nonoptimality of the positional relationship of brake and accelerator pedals in contemporary automobiles. Ten female subjects were tested to determine how long it takes to move the foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal under four conditions involving variations in brake pedal height and seat height. Experimental results indicated: (1) a reduction in stopping distance of upwards of 10 ft. could be effected at high speeds, (2) seat height had no effect on movement time of foot from accelerator to brake pedal in the case of female drivers, and (3) movement times for female drivers when compared with previous experiments on male drivers are the same when the brake pedal is 6 in. higher than the accelerator but are 25% slower when the pedals are in the same horizontal plane.