Automobiles in context
Résumé
The evaluation realism is defined by the gap between the context of use and the evaluation context of a product. The first characteristic of cars compared to food or cosmetic products traditionally studied in sensory science is motion. Motion implies a context constantly changing from one driving situation to another, and researchers must consider this in their evaluations of cars. If cars’ evaluations are mainly based on styling properties in the static context, most of the features evaluated while driving have a link with kinesthesia (for instance engine performances, brake and steering sensations, and road handling perceptions). The first part of this chapter will focus on the influence of the static/dynamic context on the sensory and usability perceptions of cars. The second characteristic is that cars are composed of subsystems that are developed separately at the same time and put together late in the development process. These numerous subsystems are considered as products by developers and tested as such. For instance, a car seat is a component of the cockpit and the display is a component of the dashboard. In that case, the experimental context will be the comprehensive product itself. The way researchers manage this kind of product context in experimental testing will be the focus of the second part of this chapter. We will end the chapter on research perspectives such as key indicators to choose relevant experimental contexts and the contribution of digital tools as virtual contexts.