Exploring the visual features in automotive design through the application of eye tracking technology and perceptual awareness

摘要

Psychological symbols are transmitted by a product through its colors, lines, contour or materials. How to effectively grasp the consumers' feelings while also respecting their psychological demands has become a frequently discussed issue in recent years. The issues related to products and consumers' feelings are studied in Kansei Engineering. For this reason, this research utilizes the front appearances of cars to analyze the consumers' main area of interest as they see the figures without logo attached. The shapes of car appearance are summarized in Kansei words through Kansei Engineering analysis method as the substantial basis of analysis. Questionnaires are widely used in analyzing the like or dislike of an appearance. When a consumer response to a questionnaire, the corresponding Kansei words are usually summarized indirectly after the texts and graphics in the questionnaire are understood and processed in the brain. It could not directly reveal the subconscious desire of the consumers after their first impression, but consumers are buying cars to meet their own needs. Therefore for now, the traditional Kansei Engineering is still unable to directly and precisely understand the main area of interest of majority consumers in a product. Therefore, innovative evaluation mechanism through eye tracking technology (Face LAB Seeing Machine) is used in this research to track the style elements and blocks of the car which are mainly concerned by the consumers. The misunderstanding and bias brought by texts in questionnaire are eliminated. The consumers' main area of interest could be established along with related regression equations after statistical analysis, and the results could be provided as a reference for car designers in designing their new products.