• 재활복지
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.339-370
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• 2013

This study is to suggest necessary improvements of inconvenient elements as well as the ergonomic design standard to develop disabled cars by evaluating the types of needs and observing the behavior characteristics on their car use and the survey on the complaints of the disabled drivers and their guardians in the use of disabled car. The results of this study are as follows. First, both the disabled drivers and their guardians are found to feel high inconvenience and low satisfaction with the cars they use now. Second, the disabled owner-drivers also answered in a same way as guardians. They find the most difficulty in moving the supporting equipment to get into and out of a car. Both the owner-drivers with disabilities and guardians complained of lack of handiness they face when they wear the seat belts and sitting on the seats. In view of this, a disabled car to be developed should have ergonomic design for its seats and the safety of the seatbelt as well as trouble-free supporting equipment helping them move. Third, rather than owner-drivers with handicaps, guardians expressed more difficulties and less contentment with the cars for the disabled, which is reckoned to lead to the changes of perspectives on development of cars for the disabled breaking away from existing viewpoints focusing on the accessibility to the vehicles. Fourth, both owner-drivers and guardians showed higher interests in driving and other safety and convenience measures than in using supporting equipment to get into and out of vehicles, implying that rather than the accessibility to get into and out of a car, convenience should primarily be taken into account for the design of the disabled car. Fifth, the auto-manufacturer is to give prior thought to user convenience when developing a car in practice. For this, the developer may have the disabled car users join the process of development as well as asking experts for help and participation.