The eyes have it for new Ford designs

Ford has joined forces with Cambridge University to harness digital technology breakthroughs and gain greater insight into visual impairment issues in an ageing society, so that better vehicles can be designed for those with age-related vision problems.

The World Health Organisation estimates almost two-thirds of the 285m people suffering from visual impairment globally are in the 50+ age group.

Anticipating the implications for the motor trade—with greater numbers of drivers struggling to read instrument clusters without bifocal or varifocal glasses—Ford has harnessed the expertise of the Engineering Design Centre at Cambridge, where a team has developed a vision impairment simulator.

This device enables the simulation of visual impairments on any image, allowing the user to see the image as someone with a particular impairment would see it.

Ford is using the software to optimise the design of its instrument displays, to ensure they can be safely and comfortably read by as many drivers as possible.

The software also has been used to improve the design of mobile phones and for teaching inclusive design at several universities.

Photo 1
A Ford SYNC Technology Navigation Display as seen by a person without any visual impairment.

Photo 2
An example of the same navigation display as viewed by someone with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).