Meeting the Needs of Taller Drivers

By Paul Dean Jackson
Say LT or XLT to a hard-core truck or SUV enthusiast, and he'll immediately think of a Chevrolet or Ford option package. Repeat those letters to a tall or portly individual, and chances are he'll discuss clothing size. In the fashion world, LT isn't a Chevrolet moniker and XLT isn't a Ford trim. The initials signify Large Tall and eXtra Large Tall in a sizing system that progresses right up to 5XLT (roughly the size of an NFL defensive lineman).

While a number of well-known clothing designers have capitalized on this lucrative fashion niche, America's auto manufacturers have only recently begun to make the ergonomic adjustments necessary to accommodate its growing demographic.

The trend that America's baby boomers are growing larger in stature than previous generations was first noticed by the United States Air Force. In the '50s, our government began conducting extensive population surveys, which it deemed critical to national security. The objective was to ensure the average American could pilot the next generation of aircraft.

Foam interior of proposed dash and door.

Anthropometric data was gathered to determine if the interior dimensions of military aircraft needed to be expanded to accommodate the average American male. According to Tom Metzler, director of the Human Systems Information Analysis Center, "Basic safety concerns were at issue--from the pilot's reach to the controls to how much weight an ejection seat could hold and still function safely."

Elizabeth Chadwell, an Air Force research librarian claims, "Those studies, which spanned more than three decades, contain only anthropometric data of the personnel and do not reach specific conclusions or result in any cockpit redesign."

But those studies would have a major impact on the automotive industry.

Once declassified, engineers from the Ford Motor Company took the Air Force data, combined it with their own studies, and concluded that Americans were not only growing taller, but wider.