ABSTRACT
The aim was to study how professional drivers experience hard surface materials of their present vehicle interiors, “green” materials of and other future materials. Truck and car drivers participated in a pilot study. Material quality experiences of their present vehicles were studied with a customer satisfaction interview. The main objective of the BIOAUTO project was to explore the possibility of industrially viable applications of renewable resource based materials for the manufacture of automotive interior components. Material categories were presented in the same order to all subjects but the order within each category optional. Drivers were rather or very satisfied with qualities of the hard surface materials of their present vehicle interiors. New materials should be introduced together with improved cleaning possibilities to enhance their impact. Hard surface materials contribute to several important qualities of vehicle interiors. Interviews about material surfaces demonstrated that cleanability of materials and compartments must be improved.
