Driver Vitalization: Investigating Sensory Stimulation to Achieve a Positive Driving Experience

This thesis aims to decrease the feeling of tiredness related to an on-going monotonous, undemanding driving task. It is not intended to enable people to drive longer, but rather for them to experience the time they spend driving as more pleasant. The perception of fatigue is considered as a type of discomfort. From this follows the hypothesis that this feeling of tiredness develops according to a similar system as the perception of discomfort or comfort. Following this premise, the approach in this thesis is to alter the interaction with the vehicle interior by developing features resulting in certain bodily sensations that contribute to feeling more fit.