Aging in china and its impact on vehicle design

Aging in China and its Impact on Vehicle Design Chao Zhao Bachelor of Arts Master of Arts School of Design Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering Queensland University of Technology Thesis submitted for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 2008 ii Dedication To the memory of my grandmother She is the person who brought me up and gave me initial idea to respect knowledge i ii Abstract This study contributes to the growth of design knowledge in China, where vehicle design for the local, older user is in its initial developmental stages Therefore, this research has explored the travel needs of older Chinese vehicle users in order to assist designers to better understand users’ current and future needs A triangulation method consisting of interviews, logbook and co-discovery was used to collect multiple forms of data and so explore the research question Grounded theory has been employed to analyze the research data This study found that users’ needs are reflected through various ‘meanings’ that they attach to vehicles – meanings that give a tangible expression to their experiences This study identified six older-user need categories: (i) safety, (ii) utility, (iii) comfort, (iv) identity, (v) emotion and (vi) spirituality The interrelationships among these six categories are seen as an interactive structure, rather than as a linear or hierarchical arrangement Chinese cultural values, which are generated from particular local context and users’ social practice, will play a dynamic role in linking and shaping the travel needs of older vehicle users in the future Moreover, this study structures the older-user needs model into three levels of meaning, to give guidance to vehicle design direction: (i) the practical meaning level, (ii) the social meaning level and (ii) the cultural meaning level This study suggests that a more comprehensive explanation exists if designers can identify the vehicle’s meaning and property associated with the fulfilled older users’ needs However, these needs will vary, and must be related to particular technological, social, and cultural contexts The significance of this study lies in its contributions to the body of knowledge in three areas: research methodology, theory and design These theoretical contributions provide a series of methodological tools, models and approaches from a vehicle design perspective These include a conditional/consequential matrix, a travel needs identification model, an older users’ travel-related needs framework, a user information structure model, and an OlderUser-Need-Based vehicle design approach These models suggest a basic framework iii for the new design process which might assist in the design of new vehicles to fulfil the needs of future, aging Chinese generations The models have the potential to be transferred to other design domains and different cultural contexts iv Keywords Chinese culture Context Cultural meaning Dynamic user needs structure Future younger-old vehicle users Integrated vehicle design approach Older vehicle users Practical meaning Social meaning Travel needs Vehicle design Vehicle meaning v vi Table of Contents Dedication i Abstract iii Keywords v Table of Contents vii Statement of Original Authorship xi Acknowledgements xiii Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Research Problem 1.3 Research Question 1.4 Research Aim and Research Objectives 1.5 Scope of the Study 1.6 Structure of the Thesis 1.7 Summary 10 Chapter 2: Older Vehicle Users 11 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 Physiological Dimension of Age-related Changes 12 2.3 Social Dimension of Age-related Changes 16 2.4 Cultural Dimension of Age-related Changes 21 2.5 Summary 24 Chapter 3: Older Vehicle Users in the Chinese Culture 27 3.1 Introduction 27 3.2 Rapid Motorization in China 27 3.3 Impact Factors of Chinese Motorization 30 3.4 Chinese Aging Population and Elderly Drivers 32 3.5 Aging in Chinese Cultural Contexts 35 3.6 Summary 39 Chapter 4: Design for Older Adults 41 4.1 Introduction 41 4.2 Design Approaches to Fulfil Older Adults’ Needs 42 vii 4.3 Vehicle Design for Older Users 53 4.4 Sustainable Transport 60 4.5 Summary 63 Chapter 5: Designing Meaningful Products for User Needs 65 5.1 Introduction 65 5.2 Human Needs 66 5.3 Design for Needs 70 5.4 Product Meaning Structure 73 5.5 Design as Meaning Making 79 5.6 Connecting Design for Needs and Design for Meaning 84 5.7 Summary 87 Chapter 6: Research Design 91 6.1 Introduction 91 6.2 Research Strategy and Paradigm 91 6.3 Data Collection Procedures 98 6.4 Data Analysis Procedures 103 6.5 Summary 111 Chapter 7: Data Analysis and Interpretation 113 7.1 Introduction 113 7.2 Interrelating the Themes 113 7.3 Social Practice for Maintaining Quality of Life 118 7.4 Local Context 128 7.5 Travel Activity Adaptation 133 7.6 Vehicle Meaning 137 7.7 Vehicle Property 152 7.8 Summary 159 Chapter 8: Findings 161 8.1 Introduction 161 8.2 Integration of Travel-Needs-Influencing Factors 161 8.3 Travel Needs Identification 167 8.4 Summary 187 Chapter 9: Discussion 189 9.1 viii Introduction 189 Samples of Travel Logbook Introduction Please fill three pages of a diary about your daily travel activities on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday in one week You need to report daily travel information You can finish the travel dairy in anywhere (e.g in your vehicle or at home) Participant name: Date: dd/mm/yy Tuesday Please descript daily travel time and objects that you carried: Please descript your travel aims and travel destinations: Please describe why you need drive to there: Please descript who did accompany you when you travel to there, and what are relationships between you and your companions: Please descript the detail process of theses tours: 257 Transcription of Logbook Sample (English version) 09/04/2006 Sunday | Participant: C | Male | 51 years old | Academic staff Please descript daily travel time and objects which you carried, and please descript your travel aims and travel destinations: 8.30 AM - 9.00 AM My wife drove the car and carry my daughter to take part in the Olympic mathematics workshop 11.30 AM - 12.10 AM I drove the car to carry my daughter go to 798 Art factory (the famous art community in Beijing) in order to meet with another family 13.10 PM - 13.40 PM I drove the car to carry my wife and daughter to take part in a community activity 15.10 PM - 16.00 PM I drove the car to carry my wife and daughter to suburb of Beijing in order to take part in a tree planting activity 16.30 PM - 17.30 PM I drove the car to carry my daughter to go back her school 19.30 PM - 20.10 PM I drove the car to carry my wife go back home Please describe why you need drive to there: Carry my child to study in spare time school and take part in the community activities Please descript who did accompany you when you travel to there, and what are relationships between you and your companions: All of my family members which include my wife, my daughter and I Please descript the detail process of theses tours: We drove car from city center to suburb of Beijing and then go back to city center We passed through the free way in city and road in suburb The road in the suburb has bad conditions 258 Appendix 6: Samples of Coding 259 260 Coding textual data (English version) Coding textual data (Chinese version) 261 262 Appendix 7: Comparisons of Travel Activity Adaptation and Vehicle Property at Concept Level 263 264 Integrated comparisons of travel activity adaptation at concept level 30% Future younger-old users Future older-old users 25% Current middle-aged users Frequency Current older users 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% r e g g el el el el el ort ort ca nc av vi n av kin av av av sp sp te ida dri f tr f tr f tr f tr f tr ma o o o o va o ran o ran i t t v m n r l n y e a a io ce lic ve |P rse ti o nc im ity |C cis tan at i ub ou ue |T iza de ctiv |P eq Dis |C 1.2 ern an a T-1 r t e l | g v F P s r V | T T O |A ati ou DB T-1 T-3 TP 1| ne T-2 erv TP TP T-2 lta -3 ns T-1 TP P u o T P T T |C TP Sim 1| V-2 -1 B V D DB Concept of travel activity adaptation Integrated comparisons of vehicle property at concept level 18% Future younger-old users Future older-old users 16% Current middle-aged users Current older users Frequency 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% t y ity port port port port port port face face use tion bility mar form form terial ng p p f p p mi nom pac S p r r p a ia y e nsu eco ct ca nt su lief su cy su ee su ry su on su f inte f inte ple o repa | Rel -3.0 | impl eaut | M o c e o o n f B /s a ti e se im nt so rgy rcha omp tainm abit/r erge uara /sen para uage ibility se/s ase o G-1 TNG Plain 1.4 | TSe A | g re en | Pu | C nter | H is | Ea | E em | G a ge TN ATS d p Lan | V th E ow S-1 | L -2.0 TT-1 | T-2 Heal T-2 .9 | Im | Foo | -3.3 T-1.2 T-2 T A T M T T C | S EC S S F TFC 11 STT- ST T -2 MST ST TT-2 T -2 EC ST S Concept of vehicle property 265 266 Appendix 8: Interrelationships among User Needs, Vehicle Meanings and Vehicle Properties Categories 267 268 Interrelationship among user needs, vehicle meaning, and vehicle property Spiritual Emotion Identity Comfort Utility Economy Low energy consuming Low maintenance fee Purchase economy Compatibility capacity Compact capacity Package/layout Entertainment support Rest support Habit/relief support Protection/security support Structure Health emergency support Urgent maintenance support Guarantee support Communication support Image/sensory support Air quality adjust Food preparation support Working support Language Layout Visibility Powerful performance Function Ease/simple of use Off road performance Ease of reparation/maintenance Technology Ease of cleaning Reliability Durability Smart Solid/stable form Aesthetics Plain/simple form Fashion form Beauty form Colour Material 269 Contemporary custom/wisdom Individual/independence Expressive style Efficiency with technology Face saving Conventional custom/wisdom Collective/interdependence Neutral attitude Harmony with nature Metaphor of concern Metaphor of affection/pleasure Metaphor of personality Metaphor of skill/challenge Metaphor of status Metaphor of freedom Metaphor of lucky Vehicle as event of memory Vehicle as event of expectation Vehicle as work studio Vehicle as home/shelter Tool for exploring Tool for gathering Toll for time management Tool for relaxation/coziness Tool for safety/health care Tool for mobility/commuting Tool for carrying objects Safety Detail/decoration Legend: 1/4 – One group mentioned (including future younger-old users) within the Four groups 1/4 – One group mentioned (excluding future younger-old users) within the Four groups 2/4 – Two groups mentioned (including future younger-old users) within the Four groups 2/4 – Two groups mentioned (excluding future younger-old users) within the Four groups 3/4 – Three groups mentioned (including future younger-old users) within the Four groups 3/4 – Three groups mentioned (excluding future younger-old users) within the Four groups 4/4 – Involve total four groups mentioned (*Number of mentioned groups / Total four groups) 270 271 ... significant increase in the older population will place new and growing demands on transport systems in China in the future In this context, vehicle designers need frameworks for making transitions from... based on changes of environment Fozard (2000) points out that aging is a very individual matter, and that intrinsic variability in aging resulting from genetic influences are amplified by environmental... Chapter examines the older vehicle users in the Chinese cultural context The growth in numbers of older Chinese vehicle users is dramatic, based on the large aging population and booming automobile