The design of a road vehicle, and its various systems, should enable the driver to control that vehicle safely in a wide range of traffic environments. For example adverse weather conditions can directly affect driver vision and various systems are commonly provided on vehicles to counteract the effects of these conditions. The design of these windscreen clearance systems are influenced by national and international legislation. These legal requirements define specific engineering standards that systems have to meet before the vehicle can be offered for sale. This paper describes how these systems are controlled by describing the current international standards and development methods used and typical practical results achieved. Issues related to the subsequent characteristics of these systems and their possible influence on driver behaviour are discussed. (A)
Samenvatting