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Ergonomics
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Foot Brake Pedal Force Capability of Drivers
R. G. MORTIMER
a
a
Highway Safety Research Institute, University of Miohigan, Ann Arbor, Mich, USA
Published online: 25 Apr 2007.
To cite this article: R. G. MORTIMER (1974) Foot Brake Pedal Force Capability of Drivers, Ergonomics, 17:4, 509-513, DOI:
10.1080/00140137408931381
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00140137408931381
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ERGONOMICS, 1974, VOL. 17, No.4, 509-513
Foot Brake Pedal Force Capability of Drivers
By R. G. MORTIMER
Highway Safety Research Institute,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., U.S.A.
An experimont was conducted to provide distributions of foot force for U.S. drivers
in order to derive guidelines for the maximum force requirement for actuation of an
automobile service brake. The results of this study are compared with three others
conducted at about the same time. Since the 5th percentile female maximum brake
pedal force is about 400 newtons. it is recommended that no more than this force be
required to attain near maximum braking capability from a passenger cer.
1. Introduction
An important consideration in the design of an automobile braking system
is the relation between the force applied on the brake pedal and the deceleration
which results. Too high a deceleration/brake pedal force gain will lead to a
brake control which is difficult to modulate smoothly on dry roads and produces
wheel lock-up on wet roads, increasing the likelihood that the driver will lose
path control of the vehicle. Too low a deceleration/pedal force gain will
produce a brake control that cannot be modulated as rapidly as desirable,
and may impose brake pedal application force requirements on drivers that are
beyond their foot force capabilities.
Studies by Brigham (1968) and Segel and Mortimer (1970) have provided
reasonably complete guidelines for bounds on deceleration/pedal force gain for
brake modulation. A a part of the latter research, data were obtained
(Mortimer et al. 1970) on the maximum pedal force application of drivers, for
which no suitable values were then available.
In order to set a limit on brake pedal force, the distribution of foot force
of drivers must be known. Until quite recently, most measurements of foot
force have been made on military populations (Damon et al. 1966). An
exception is the study by Aoki (1960), who found that the 5th percentile young
Japanese female could exert a pedal force of only 165 N. Thus, on a dry
surface, she would be unable to obtain the maximum braking capability of,
for example, any 1968 model American car that is not equipped with power-
assisted brakes (Mortimer et al. 1970). Because of population differences such
data could not be applied to American drivers. This paper describes one
study in which foot force measures were obtained for U.S. drivers and compares
the findings to those of three other studies, all completed at about the same
time (Stoudt et al. 1969, Radlinski and Price 1970, Eaton and Dittmeier 1970).
2. Method
2.1. Apparala
Subjects were seated on a wood seat, 071 m wide and 041 m deep, covered
with a nonslip vinyl surface. The seat was raised or lowered by means of a
hydraulic lift. The chair back was 043 m high, mounted at an angle of
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510 R. G. Mortimer
044 radians from the vertical. A hydraulic force gauge, 1334 N full-scale,
equipped with a ribbed circular steel pad, 0045 m in diameter, was mounted
at an angle of 061 radians, which is within the range commonly used for brake
pedals, and was horizontally and vertically adjustable.
2.2. Procedure
The equipment was taken to a shoe store in a shopping centre and subjects
were recruited from patrons and passers-by. It was later moved to a Driver
License Bureau of the Michigan Department of State where, with the
cooperation of officials, subjects of a greater age range could be tested.
Prior to data collection, the pad of the force gauge was adjusted in height
and distance for each subject to yield a thigh angle of zero and a knee angle
of 279 radians, to allow maximum force to be applied (Damon et al. 1966).
This adjustment was facilitated by computing these settings in advance as a
function of all likely combinations of driver foot length and knee height that
might be encountered.
When the subject was seated and all adjustments had been made, the
, standard' motivation instructions were given: 'push the pedal as hard as
you can and hold it for three seconds '. A measurement of the maximum force
sustained for about three seconds was taken with each foot. The procedure
was immediately repeated using the' induced' motivation instructions: 'this
time really push as hard as you can, like you are driving a car and have to
avoid a serious uccident '. Subjects were allowed to see the gauge while
applying force.
2.3. Subjects
The sample consisted of 276 female and 323 male drivers. The females were
H;-70 years of age with a mean age of 32'5 years, and weighed 40-102 kg
with a mean of 62 kg. The males were 16-89 years of age with a mean age of
318 years, and weighed 54-129 kg with a mean of 81 kg. Young drivers,
16-24 years, were over-represented in the sample. Accordingly, the dis-
tribution of foot forces is not likely to be an underestimate of the capability
of the driver population.
3. Results
Figure I shows the percent cumulative frequency distributions of maximum
force achieved by female and male subjects with the right foot. For the
standard motivation instruction, or first trial, the 5th and 50th percentiles
of maximum force achieved by the 276 females are respectively, 311 Nand
681 N. For the induced motivation instruction, or second trial, the 5th and
50th percentiles are equivalent to 454 Nand 863 N. Males attained a 5th
percentile force of 592 N and a 50th percentile level of 1241 N with standard
motivation instruction on the first trial, and a 5th percentile level of 840 N
on the second trial with induced motivation instruction. Performance of
males at the 50th percentile could not be measured in the induced motivation
Results arc given only for the right foot, since a. pilot study showed B high correlation
(r=0'93) between left and right foot force capability.
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Foot Brake Pedal Force Capability of Drivers 511
instruction since more than half of them exceeded the 1334 N limit of the
force gauge.
The correlation between body weight and maximum foot force on the first
trial was found to be low (r
w.f.=024)
based on a random sample of 57 male
and 43 female subjects.
100,.-------------------,
--- "Standard" Motivation
---- "Induced" Motivation
Figure 1. Cwnulative percent distribution of right foot pedal force for 276 female and 323 male
drivers.
4. Discussion
The results of this study can be compared most directly with those obtained
by Stoudt et al. (1969) at Harvard University. They used a representative
sample of 50 U.S. females in a mock-up consisting of an adjustable upholstered
seat, steering wheel, brake and accelerator pedal. Subjects adjusted the seat
themselves for a comfortable position, and grasped the steering wheel while
depressing the brake pedal. Measurements were made of the average brake
pedal force maintained over ten seconds, on five consecutive trials, after each
of which subjects were urged to apply as much force as possible. The
5th percentile pedal forces were 383, 489, 543, 583 and 623 N respectively,
on the five trials.
The 105 female subjects of Radlinski and Price (1970) each adjusted the
seat in an automobile for a comfortable driving position, fastened the lap belt,
and were told to depress the brake pedal with maximum force. The
measurement taken was the mean maximum force applied for five seconds.
The 5th percentile pedal forces achieved in the two cars used, on the second
of two trials in each condition, were 400 and 556 N, and with a simulated
split-braking system malfunction in the first car, resulting in a pedal having
more than normal displacement, the 5th percentile pedal force was 289 N.
Each of the above studies, and ours, were done in a static environment in
which the subjects could carefully position their foot on the pedal and prepare
themselves for exertion of force. On the other hand, they were under no stress
and there was little incentive to maximize the foot force.
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512 R. G. ~ o r t i m r
A study by Eaton and Dittmeier (1970) of the Ford Motor Company used
48 females representative, in stature, of the U.S. population. Their brake
pedal application force was measured in a potentially stressful driving situation.
Subjects drove either a full-size or mid-size automobile around a track,
occasionally braking to a stop in a sealed-off lane. On the last of these trials
the brake power assist booster was disabled, unknown to the driver, and pedal
force during 05 seconds was measured as she tried to stop the car. The
5th percentile brake pedal force values achieved with the intermediate and
full-size cars, respectively, were 334 and 423 N. The difference in the values
was attributed by the authors to the greater braking effectiveness of the
mid-size car compared to the full-size car, when the booster was disabled.
If that is the case, the value found for the full-size car may better represent
the performance of motivated drivers.
Table 1. Summary of subject sample characteristics and 5th and 50th percentile
pedal forces (N) of female drivers, in four studies
Stationary tests
1\fortimerclal. Stoudtctal. Radlinski and Price
(1970) (1969) (1970)
Hurd seat Soft seat
Steering wheel Car A Car B
Percentile Percentile Percentile Percentile
Dynamic test
Eaton and Dittmeier
(1970)
Mid size Full size
ear car
Percentile Percentile
Trial 5 50 5 50 5 50 5 50 5 50 5 50
I 311 676 383 729 343 641 409 734 334 620 423 707
2 41;4 858 489 863 400 778 556 S45
Sample size 276 50 105 48
Mean age (yra) 33 38 35
Min-max age 16- 79 18- 76 18- 62
Mean weight
(kg) 62 60 60
Min-max
weight (kg) 40-102 41-102 46- 93
The findings of all four studies are summarized in Table 1. They show
that repeated trials and urging-on by the experimenters can raise the force
levels. Although a hard seat was used in our test somewhat lower values
were obtained than by Stoudt et al, (1969) who used a compliant seat.
However, their subjects may have obtained some advantage from the steering
wheel. When actual cars were used (Radlinski and Price 1970) one car allowed
greater forces to be generated than the other. There is no evident reason
for this. But, the 5th and 50th percentile pedal force values achieved are
within the range of those obtained in the laboratory tests. The study by
Eaton and Dittmeier (1970) was particularly valuable because it helps to settle
arguments concerning the likely forces to be exerted in an actual braking
manoeuvre. Their results show that there is no reason to suppose that drivers
in a moving car will generate force levels that are higher than in laboratory
or stationary car tests.
Overall the 5th and 50th percentile pedal force values obtained by these
studies are remarkably similar considering the different methods that were
used.
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Foot Brake Pedal Force Gapahility of Drivers 513
Based on the findings it would seem reasonable that the brake pedal effort,
required to obtain the maximum or a high level of deceleration of a vehicle,
should not exceed about 400 N. This will ensure that no more than 5% of
female drivers, and about 1% of male drivers (Mortimer et al. 1970), are unable
to apply adequate brake pedal force. The current SAE J-937 brake system
performance recommended practice allows up to 534 N of brake pedal force
to be applied for a deceleration of 61 m/s
2
from 97 km/h. Such a pedal force
is certainly higher than warranted based on the results of the recently
completed studies of foot force capability of female drivers. In practice, most
passenger cars meet the requirement on deceleration with less than 445 N of
pedal force. In the fourth stop in the brake fade test, the SAE recommended
practice allows up to 890 N of brake pedal force to be applied to achieve
46 m/s
2
deceleration. This could not be achieved by 76% and 55% of our
females and 19% and 7% of our males, on the first and second trials,
respectively.
The foot force distribution of U.S. drivers appears to be documented
sufficiently well by these studies to assist with revisions to brake pedal force
standards for braking systems in normal and in degraded conditions such as
due to fade, power booster failure or loss of pressure in the front or rear brake
line circuit, and for foot-operated parking brakes.
L'objectif de cette experience etait d'etablir la distribution des forces d'eppui du pied pour
les conducteurs americains eftn d'eteblir Ies exigences maximales pour l'actionnement des freins
d'une voiture. Lee resultats de cette etude eteiene compares A ceux de trois autres etudes
effectuees Apeu pres e le meme epoque. Puisque le 56 percentile pour Is. force maximale d'appui
sur une pedale de frein est ait.ue, pour 180 femme, Aenviron 400 newtons, il est recommende que
pa.s plus que oette force ne devrait etra neceasaire pour ectionner efficacement Ie frein d'WlC
voiture de tourisme.
In einer Versuchsreihe wurde die Verteilung der Fusskriifte von U.S. Kraftfahrern ermittelt,
urn Richtlinien fur die maximalen Kraftanforderungen bei der Betiitigung amerikeniecher
Automobil-Servo-Bremsen .abzuleiten. Die Resultate dieeer Studie wurden mit drei anderen
etwa gleichzeitig ausgefUhrten Untersuchungen verglichen. De, die rnaximale Pedel-Bremakreft
von Frauen in 95% der Falle ungefahr 40 Kg erreioht, wird empfohlen, fUr einen Peraonenkraft-
wagen keine grossere Bremskraft zu verlangen.
References
AOD, K., 1960, Human factors in braking and fade phenomena for heavy applications-problems
to improve brake performance. Bulletin oj the Japanu8 Society oj Mechanical Engineer8,
8,587-594.
BRIGHAM, F. R., 1968, A human factors etudy of vehicle braking systems. Univermy oj Aston,
Birmingham (England), MSc. Th eeie.
DAMON, O. A., STOUDT, H. W., and McFARLAND, R., 1966, The Human Body in Equipment
D68ign (Cambridge: HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS.)
EATON, D. A., and DrI'TMEIER, H. J., 1970, Braking and steering effort capabilities of drivers.
Society oj Amomotive Engineer<, Report 700363.
MORTIMER,R. G., SEGEL,L.,DuGOFF, H., CAMPBELL, J. D., JORGESON,J. M.,and MURPHY, R. W.,
1970, Brake force requirement study: driver-vehicle braking performance as a function
of brake system design variables. Final Report on Contract FHll6952 (U.S. Department
oj Transportation), Highway Sajety Research Institute, Univer81'ty of Michigan.
RADLINSKI, R. W., and PRICE, J. I., 1970, The brake pedal force capability of adult females.
National Bureau oj Standards, Technical Note 557.
SAE J-937b, 1970, Service brake system performance requirements--passenger car. Society of
Automotive Engineers, Recommended Practice.
SEGEL, L., and MORTIMER, R. G., 1970, Driver braking performance as a function of pedal-force
and pedal-displacement levels. Society oj Automotive Engineer8, Report 700364.
STOUDT, H. W., CROWLEY, T. J., GRUBER, B., and McFARLAND, R. A., 1969, Vehicle handling:
force capabilities for braking and steering. Final Report on Contact FHll-6910 (U.S.
Department of Transportation), Harvard School oj Public Health, Harvard Univermy.
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