July 2008, Government Fleet - Feature

The Big Squeeze in Police Vehicles : More Equipment, Less Space

By Mike Scott

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Easing the Impact of Increased In-Vehicle Technology

Solutions are being developed to help ease the impact of increased technology in vehicles in a broad way. OEMs such as Ford Motor Company, for example, will introduce adjustable foot pedals.

This feature (that comes as part of a package in some Ford products or can be added for $120) enables the driver to control the foot pedal cluster by a switch inside the passenger compartment, similar to a power-window switch.

A dashboard finger scanner could prevent thousands of injuries each year by fine-tuning crash restraint systems to a passenger’s bone density. The ultrasound scanner, developed by researchers at Cranfield Impact Research Centre (CIRC) and Nissan Technical Centre Europe in the United Kingdom, assesses an individual’s tolerance to injury. The vehicle’s onboard computer adjusts the force applied by seatbelts and airbags.

Smart seatbelts can already loosen slack when under excessive strain to prevent such passenger injuries as rib and sternum fractures.

However, not everyone can withstand the same amount of force. Drivers and passengers with brittle bones are particularly at risk, so artificially intelligent (AI) microsensor seatbelts eventually will drive seatbelt restraint systems, keeping drivers and passengers safe.

"Ergonomics helps create appropriate training modalities for learning new technologies and can impact work organization by adding to efficiency and reducing errors and waste," said Cynthia Roth, president and CEO of Ergonomics Technologies Corp. in New York City. "Ergonomics can identify risk factors to reduce employee or officer compensation, disability costs, and lost work time costs."

Ergonomics drives the design of comfortable workstations and accessories, and helps create new designs for products, equipment, and tools that enhance productivity, Roth added.

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