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Author Mohsen Zare, Nahed Jaffel, Hugues Baume & Fabien Bernard |
| Abstract This study explores the impact of neck support in headrest design to enhance relaxation and comfort, particularly in autonomous vehicles. A dual-phase approach was employed for iterative development and evaluation of headrest prototypes, aiming to identify ergonomic improvements and optimise comfort for diverse user profiles. In the preliminary phase, the comfort of headrests from Peugeot 3008, Citroën C4, and DS7 Crossback vehicles was evaluated. Three headrest models were tested using subjective questionnaires (CP50 scale and body map) and objective biomechanical measurements, including pressure mapping, electromyography (EMG), and video recording. Five volunteers participated, performing activities such as napping and reading, while neck and shoulder muscle activity was assessed. In the second phase, the standard headrest was compared with two newly designed prototypes using the same protocol. Results showed that headrests with enhanced neck support significantly reduced neck muscle activity and increased head-to-headrest contact compared to classic designs. These findings highlight the need for redesigned headrests to improve onboard comfort in next-generation vehicles. |
