FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Nissan calls it an “aging suit,” a cumbersome strap-on outfit that gives young auto designers the feel of driving with a bulging belly, arthritic joints and shaky balance.
The suit — including goggles that distort color and mimic the effects of cataracts — is used to simulate the physical effects of aging as designers work to make future vehicles safer and more comfortable.
With the 65-and-older population in the U.S. expected to double to 70 million — one in five people — by 2030, Nissan Motor Co. and other automakers are looking at safety- and comfort-design changes as a way to reach for baby boomers’ wallets.
Ford Motor Co. also has used what it calls a “Third Age” suit to simulate aging and uses a virtual-reality lab to evaluate vehicle ergonomics and clarity of drivers’ views. At General Motors Corp., researchers are working on a high-tech windshield designed to enhance a driver’s view.
