From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Driver ergonomics, specifically pedal and seat positioning to accommodate drivers of different heights.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 68\1\ scan0327 | |
| Date | 1st September 1927 | |
| X8470 Pt Australia c. to Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. to By c. to W/S Whr{Mr Wheeler} & CWE Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/NRC{N. R. Chandler}20/MW20/9.27 PEDAL & SEAT POSITION In reply to your Pt5/EM16.8.27, we consider that inability to reach easily the clutch pedal is an indication that the squab of the front seat is too far from the pedals for the driver concerned. It is clearly necessary to be able to fully depress the brake pedal when adjustment is such that it travels almost to the footboards, i.e. prior to adjustment becoming imperative. But if the clutch pedal were raised bodily ( and the seat adjusted to suit) there is the risk that the driver would find it difficult to fully depress the brake pedal in an emergency when adjustment or renewal of liners had been left to the eleventh hour. Apart from this, to deliberately increase the distance from the footboards to the pedals and then push the drivers seat back correspondingly, is wasteful in body-space behind dash, and the more logical thing is to let the pedals go right down to the footboards, as is now done, and then bring forward the seat to suit. Where sliding or adjustable seats are not provided the length should be sufficient for a tall driver, a detachable cushion provides for a shorter driver who has difficulty in pushing the pedals right home. We think that many cars are now built with the instrument board too far from the dash with the result that insufficient room is left for the knees of a long legged driver. Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/NRC{N. R. Chandler} WPE [STAMP TEXT] RECEIVED SF Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} SEP 1927 | ||