• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Why Car Engineers are Wearing Seat Covers

September 21, 2017 By Nadeem Muaddi

The Hog Ring - Why Car Engineers are Wearing Seat Covers

Remember the Virginia Tech researcher who caused confusion and panic in Arlington by dressing as a seat cover and driving a van around town? We now have more details on what he was doing.

The researcher was conducting a study on behalf of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and Ford Motor Company to see how people and self-driving cars will interact on the road, according to tech blog Wired.

“Today, subtle facial and body cues help drivers and walkers alike understand what moves cars will make next,” writes Wired. “A wave says, I see you—hit that crosswalk. A nod says, I see you—make that turn. A middle finger says, well—you know what it says. But how do you translate those communications once the driver is a robot?”

In lieu of those gestures, the researchers installed an illuminated bar above the van’s windshield that communicated to humans what the vehicle was going to do next. “Slow blinking meant, I’m stopping. Fast blinking meant, I’m starting. And a solid white light meant, I’m driving around all on my own,” writes Wired.

John Shutko, a Ford engineer, told Wired that at first people don’t understand what the light signals mean. However, virtual reality tests show that they quickly catch on.

In fact, Ford is working with 11 other automakers to create standard light signals for self-driving cars that will be easily understood across all cultures.

Anyway, back to the seat cover costume…

Ford and Virginia Tech needed the study to produce unbiased results. At the same time, they didn’t want to put a self-driving car with imperfect technology on the road. They compromised by stitching a seat cover costume that would allow a researcher to drive the car without being seen.

The following video provides more details on the study:

Isn’t science cool?

[Hat Tip: Chip Albright of Albright’s Supply]

Filed Under: Archive, Interesting Read, Odd News Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Autonomous Cars, Car Interior, Ford Motor Company, Seat Covers, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

Primary Sidebar

anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation - Right Rail Ad 3
  • OEM+ Banner Ad - The Hog Ring
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Leather Craft
  • Albright's Supply
  • Keyston Bros
  • Hyde Leather

THR Favorites

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Ish Jimenez - West Coast Customs

Talking Shop with Trimmer Ish Jimenez 2

In part one of our three-part interview … [more] about Talking Shop with Trimmer Ish Jimenez 2

The Hog Ring - Indonesian Trimmers are Riding with Style

Indonesian Trimmers are ‘Riding with Style’

MBtech, an Indonesian supplier of synthetic … [more] about Indonesian Trimmers are ‘Riding with Style’

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Customs by Vos

Shop Profile: Customs By Vos

At just 32 years old, Dave Vos has already … [more] about Shop Profile: Customs By Vos

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - How To Mold Automotive Leather

Pro Tip: How to Mold Automotive Leather

Interested in learning how to wrap virtually … [more] about Pro Tip: How to Mold Automotive Leather

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - DIY Custom Headliner

DIY: Custom Headliner Madness

There are a lot of DIY auto upholstery videos … [more] about DIY: Custom Headliner Madness

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Juki Sewing Machine

How Does a Sewing Machine Work?

You know how to work a sewing machine, but do … [more] about How Does a Sewing Machine Work?

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • Hydes Leather Drops New Luxury Aston Martin Leather Collection
  • Everything We Covered in September 2025
  • Sonnenland vs. Twillfast vs. Stayfast: Which Convertible Top Fabric Works Best?
  • Auto Upholstery Class! Learn How to Construct Car Seats in Just 5 Days
  • Firefighters Save Cat Trapped in Burning Upholstery Shop

Recent Comments

  • Edward Munday on Hidden Mouse Nest? How to Charge for the Extra Dirty Work
  • Jack on Keyston Bros. Acquires DLT Corporation
  • Brodie Smith on Aston Martin Just Introduced a New Convertible DB12
  • THE CAPTAIN on 6 Tips for Turning Callers into Customers
  • Dmei on Star Wars Seat Covers are ‘So Wizard’

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in