Suiting Up to Drive Into Aging

Why walk a mile in another’s shoes when you can drive? That’s what automaker Nissan is doing in Japan, where it’s outfitting design engineers with suits that approximate the effects of aging, right down to having to maneuver a middle-aged spread behind a steering wheel.

That last trick is accomplished with a belt that can add 2 to 10 inches to waistlines. Casts simulate arthritic pain by making it difficult to raise arms and legs, a raised front-toe design mimics balance difficulties, and cataract goggles show designers what it’s like to drive with failing eyesight. 

The company first utilized “aging” suits a decade ago and currently uses them at the Nissan Technology Center, near Tokyo. “We’re trying to get in touch with an older demographic, in terms of what they’re going through to get in and out of vehicles and drive them,” says Nissan USA spokesman Steve Oldham. Nissan joins Ford Motor Co., which uses its “Third Age” suit to help engineers modify car designs for older drivers.

Photo by Veronika Lukasova.