Color Design of Combination Meter in Passenger Car for Improving Readability

승용차 Combination Meter의 가독성 향상을 위한 색상 설계

The purpose of this study is to survey colors of background, marker, and pointer being used in passenger car's combination meter, and to suggest ergonomic design guidelines of combination meter to enhance driver's readability. An experiment was conducted, in which colors of background, marker, and pointer were selected as independent variables, and reading time, reading error, and preference for combination meter were measured as dependent variables. Most of passenger cars sold in Korea were found to have combination meter with black background, while marker. The experimental results showed that reading time of combination meter with white background, black marker and point was shortest, reading error was lowest in combination meter with black background, yellow marker pointer, and preference for combination meter with white background, black marker and black or red pointer was highest. The results implied that combination meter with white background, black marker and black pointer should be used for comprehensively optimizing reading time, reading error, and preference for it. It was expected that these results could be used as valuable design guidelines when designing combination meter of passenger car.