SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027
(Main)Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Evaluation of thermal environments in vehicles - Part 3: Evaluation of thermal comfort using human subjects (ISO 14505-3:2026)
- Abstract
This document specifies and gives guidelines for a standard test method for the assessment, using human participants, of thermal comfort in vehicles. It is not restricted to any particular vehicle but provides the general principles that allow assessment and evaluation. The method can be used to determine a measure of the performance of a vehicle for conditions of interest, in terms of whether it provides thermal comfort to people or not. This can be used in vehicle development and evaluation.
This document is applicable to all types of vehicles, including cars, buses, trucks, off-road vehicles, trains, aircraft, ships, submarines, and to the cabins of cranes and similar spaces. It applies where people are enclosed in a vehicle and when they are exposed to outside conditions. For those exposed to outside conditions, such as riders of bicycles or motorcycles, drivers of open sports cars and operators of fork lift trucks without cabins, vehicle speed and weather conditions can dominate responses. The principles of assessment, however, still apply.
This document applies to both passengers and operators of vehicles where its application does not interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle.
It describes the principles of the assessment and evaluation of thermal comfort, including the use of test methods and trials. It also describes subjective methods that can be used in assessment.
- Status
- Not Published
- Public Enquiry End Date
- 30-Jul-2025
- Technical Committee
- VSN - Safety of machinery
- Current Stage
- 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
- Start Date
- 03-Nov-2026
- Due Date
- 08-Jan-2027
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027, published by SIST as the Slovenian adoption of ISO 14505-3, covers evaluation of thermal comfort in vehicles using human participants. It specifies a standard test method and guidance for judging whether a vehicle environment provides thermal comfort under conditions of interest, mainly for development and evaluation work.
What does SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 specify?
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 gives a general method for assessing thermal comfort in vehicles and is not limited to one vehicle type. It applies to enclosed vehicle spaces and to situations where occupants are exposed to outside conditions, while still respecting safe operation.
The standard covers cars, buses, trucks, off-road vehicles, trains, aircraft, ships, submarines, and crane cabins and similar spaces. It is written so the same principles can be used when vehicle speed and weather have a strong effect on the occupants' response.
The document is organized into seven clauses plus five annexes.
| Annex | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Annex A | Normative test method for assessment of vehicle thermal comfort |
| Annex B | Informative example of a single-sheet subjective questionnaire |
| Annex C | Informative practical example of vehicle thermal comfort assessment using the test method |
| Annex D | Informative practical example for vehicle glazing |
| Annex E | Informative practical example for vehicle seats |
Clauses 4 to 7 set out the assessment principles, trial design, response measurement, and the recommended test method. That structure matters in practice because it shows how to go from a research question to a vehicle trial and then to a comfort judgment.
What are the key requirements of SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027?
The most important requirement in SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 is that thermal comfort should be assessed with human participants when the aim is to measure comfort directly or to validate other techniques. Clause 4 says such work shall only be done with ethical considerations and accepted practices for human participants, as provided in ISO 12894. In practice, this means the trial plan must address participant welfare before any data are collected.
Use subjective methods as the primary comfort measure
Clause 5 says subjective methods are the most effective way to assess thermal comfort because comfort is a psychological phenomenon. The standard identifies subjective, objective, and behavioural methods, but it treats subjective ratings as the core method for comfort assessment.
This matters because a vehicle can look acceptable in physical measurements yet still feel uncomfortable to occupants. The document therefore expects comfort questionnaires and ratings to be central, with objective or behavioural measures used as support when needed.
Build trials around a clear aim and a representative participant group
Clause 6.1 requires the trial design to follow the aim of the test, whether that aim is comparing seats, glazing, HVAC-system settings, or broader vehicle comfort. Clause 6.2 says participants should represent the intended user population and should not have a vested interest in the result.
In practice, this means the design is not just a sample of convenience. The choice of participants, the order of conditions, and whether repeated-measures or balanced designs are used all need to match the decision the trial is meant to support.
Measure responses with consistent scales and administration
Clause 6.3 says the responses collected should match the aim of the trial, and that subjective scales need careful construction and administration. The standard points to ISO 10551 for guidance on subjective scales and notes that training, pilot trials, translation, and cultural context can affect the results.
This means the exact wording of questions, the timing of ratings, and the form of the questionnaire should be controlled. A consistent method is important because small changes in presentation can change the answers.
Control the operating conditions as far as possible
Clause 6.4 says the tested environment should be controlled when comparability is needed. The document names HVAC-system settings, starting conditions, time of day, solar direction, vehicle conditions, and participant clothing as factors that can influence the outcome.
In practice, this means field trials must record and manage the variables that can distort comfort ratings. If conditions cannot be fully controlled, the trial should still document the influences so the results can be interpreted properly.
Analyze results by scale type and decide the statistics in advance
Clause 6.5 says results should be shown in graphical and tabular form and that statistical methods should be chosen before analysis. The standard also notes that subjective scales do not automatically behave like interval or ratio data, so the choice between parametric and non-parametric tests needs care.
This matters because a comfort rating is not just a number to average blindly. The statistic should fit the way the scale works, otherwise the conclusion may be weaker than it appears.
Use the normative test method in Annex A for the actual comfort judgment
Clause 7 directs users to Annex A for the test method. Annex A requires representative test conditions, a minimum group of participants, a test duration of at least 30 minutes, ratings taken at regular intervals including the beginning and end, and analysis across the participant group using median, range, and frequency.
That approach turns comfort assessment into a repeatable procedure rather than an informal opinion. It is intended to show whether, under the conditions tested, the vehicle can be considered comfortable.
What terms does SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 define?
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 uses the terms and definitions from ISO 13731 and adds several terms of its own.
- Cold stress - conditions where heat exchange is at or beyond the limit of heat balance and the body experiences significant physiological strain.
- Equivalent temperature - the temperature of a hypothetical still, uniform room that would produce the same convective and radiant heat loss as the actual conditions.
- Heat stress - conditions where heat exchange is at or below the limit of heat balance and the body experiences significant physiological strain.
- HVAC-system - the vehicle or cabin heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
- Local equivalent temperature - equivalent temperature defined for a specific zone of the body surface rather than the whole body.
- Thermal asymmetry - the degree to which opposite parts of the body are exposed to different climatic conditions.
- Thermoneutral zone - the temperature interval in which the body maintains heat balance by vasomotor reactions alone.
Who uses SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027?
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 is used by vehicle manufacturers, ergonomists, test laboratories, and design engineers who need to evaluate comfort in a controlled and defensible way. It is relevant to passenger and operator environments in automotive, rail, aerospace, marine, and industrial vehicle sectors.
The standard is especially useful for teams comparing seats, glazing, HVAC-system settings, or whole-vehicle thermal performance. It also supports validation work where subjective comfort ratings are compared with thermal models, indices, or physiological measurements.
What changed in SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 from the previous edition?
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 cancels and replaces the first edition of ISO 14505-3 from 2006. The document states that it has been technically revised.
Which standards are used with SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027?
The document names these standards and uses them to support its method:
- ISO 7726 - provides instruments and guidance for measuring physical quantities in the thermal environment.
- ISO 9886:2004 - gives methods for evaluating thermal strain by physiological measurements.
- ISO 10551:2019 - provides guidance on subjective judgement scales for assessing physical environments, which underpins the questionnaire approach in this part.
- ISO 13731 - provides the vocabulary and symbols used for thermal environment ergonomics.
- ISO 12894 - is cited for ethical considerations and accepted practices when working with human participants.
What does the SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 document contain?
The document contains the scope, normative references, terms and definitions, assessment principles, trial design guidance, and the test method for vehicle thermal comfort. It also discusses subjective, objective, and behavioural methods and explains why subjective ratings are the main comfort measure here.
Annex A gives the normative procedure and the decision logic for judging comfort from participant ratings. Annex B provides an example of a one-sheet questionnaire format, which is useful when a short and repeatable rating form is needed.
Annexes C, D, and E give practical examples showing how the method can be used in a complete vehicle trial, in a glazing comparison, and in a seat comparison. Those examples are useful for planning a test, selecting ratings, and understanding how the results are interpreted in practice.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 03-May-2023
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Frequently Asked Questions
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 is a draft published by the Slovenian Institute for Standardization (SIST). Its full title is "Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Evaluation of thermal environments in vehicles - Part 3: Evaluation of thermal comfort using human subjects (ISO 14505-3:2026)". This standard covers: This document specifies and gives guidelines for a standard test method for the assessment, using human participants, of thermal comfort in vehicles. It is not restricted to any particular vehicle but provides the general principles that allow assessment and evaluation. The method can be used to determine a measure of the performance of a vehicle for conditions of interest, in terms of whether it provides thermal comfort to people or not. This can be used in vehicle development and evaluation. This document is applicable to all types of vehicles, including cars, buses, trucks, off-road vehicles, trains, aircraft, ships, submarines, and to the cabins of cranes and similar spaces. It applies where people are enclosed in a vehicle and when they are exposed to outside conditions. For those exposed to outside conditions, such as riders of bicycles or motorcycles, drivers of open sports cars and operators of fork lift trucks without cabins, vehicle speed and weather conditions can dominate responses. The principles of assessment, however, still apply. This document applies to both passengers and operators of vehicles where its application does not interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle. It describes the principles of the assessment and evaluation of thermal comfort, including the use of test methods and trials. It also describes subjective methods that can be used in assessment.
This document specifies and gives guidelines for a standard test method for the assessment, using human participants, of thermal comfort in vehicles. It is not restricted to any particular vehicle but provides the general principles that allow assessment and evaluation. The method can be used to determine a measure of the performance of a vehicle for conditions of interest, in terms of whether it provides thermal comfort to people or not. This can be used in vehicle development and evaluation. This document is applicable to all types of vehicles, including cars, buses, trucks, off-road vehicles, trains, aircraft, ships, submarines, and to the cabins of cranes and similar spaces. It applies where people are enclosed in a vehicle and when they are exposed to outside conditions. For those exposed to outside conditions, such as riders of bicycles or motorcycles, drivers of open sports cars and operators of fork lift trucks without cabins, vehicle speed and weather conditions can dominate responses. The principles of assessment, however, still apply. This document applies to both passengers and operators of vehicles where its application does not interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle. It describes the principles of the assessment and evaluation of thermal comfort, including the use of test methods and trials. It also describes subjective methods that can be used in assessment.
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 13.180 - Ergonomics; 43.020 - Road vehicles in general. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2006. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
SIST EN ISO 14505-3:2027 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
01-julij-2025
Ergonomija toplotnega okolja – Vrednotenje toplotnega okolja v vozilih – 3. del:
Vrednotenje toplotnega ugodja s pomočjo preskusnih oseb (ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025)
Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Evaluation of thermal environments in vehicles
- Part 3: Evaluation of thermal comfort using human subjects (ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025)
Ergonomie der thermischen Umgebung - Bewertung der thermischen Umgebungen in
Fahrzeugen - Teil 3: Bewertung der thermischen Behaglichkeit durch Versuchspersonen
(ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025)
Ergonomie des ambiances thermiques - Évaluation des ambiances thermiques dans les
véhicules - Partie 3: Évaluation du confort thermique en ayant recours à des sujets
humains (ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 14505-3
ICS:
13.180 Ergonomija Ergonomics
43.020 Cestna vozila na splošno Road vehicles in general
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 14505-3
ISO/TC 159/SC 5
Ergonomics of the thermal
Secretariat: BSI
environment — Evaluation of the
Voting begins on:
thermal environment in vehicles —
2025-05-28
Part 3:
Voting terminates on:
2025-08-20
Evaluation of thermal comfort using
human participants
ICS: 13.180; 43.020
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
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BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
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Reference number
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 14505-3
ISO/TC 159/SC 5
Ergonomics of the thermal
Secretariat: BSI
environment — Evaluation of the
Voting begins on:
thermal environment in vehicles —
Part 3:
Voting terminates on:
Evaluation of thermal comfort using
human participants
ICS: 13.180; 43.020
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
© ISO 2025
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
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Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland Reference number
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
ii
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Assessment of vehicle environments using human participants . 2
5 Principles of assessment . 3
5.1 Subjective methods .3
5.2 Objective methods .3
5.3 Behavioural methods . .3
5.4 Assessment of thermal comfort .3
6 Design of human participant trials . 4
6.1 Aim of trial .4
6.2 Selection of human participants .4
6.3 Measurement of participant responses .4
6.3.1 General .4
6.3.2 Subjective scales .5
6.4 Selection of operating conditions .7
6.5 Analysis and interpretation of results .7
7 Test method for assessing thermal comfort in vehicle . 7
Annex A (normative) Test method for assessment of vehicle thermal comfort . 8
Annex B (informative) Example of single-sheet subjective questionnaire .10
Annex C (informative) Practical example of vehicle thermal comfort assessment using test
method .11
Annex D (informative) Practical example of assessment of thermal comfort properties of
vehicle glazing .13
Annex E (informative) Practical example of assessment of thermal comfort properties of
vehicle seats .15
iii
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159, Subcommittee SC5.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 14505 part 3 (2006)), which has been
technically revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— xxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxx
A list of all parts in the ISO 14505 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
Introduction
Direct methods for the assessment of thermal environments (hot, moderate, cold) in vehicles involve
measurements of the responses of human participants. There are three types: subjective methods, objective
methods, and behavioural methods. Subjective methods quantify the responses of people to an environment
using subjective scales. Objective methods are those which quantify the physical, physiological or mental
condition of a person by the use of instrumentation or measures of an output such as performance measures.
Behavioural methods quantify or represent human behaviour in response to an environment. Each of these
methods has been developed according to basic principles and the most appropriate form of the method and
combination of methods used in concert for the assessment of thermal environments in vehicles will depend
upon the context and vehicle environment of interest. This part of ISO 14505 provides both principles
and application of methods for the assessment of thermal comfort in vehicle environments using human
participants. The most appropriate methods for evaluating thermal comfort in vehicles are subjective. The
principles for the construction of subjective assessment scales are given in ISO 10551 and are used in the
development of the test method specified in this part of ISO 14505. Physiological measurements on human
participants are described in ISO 9886 and are beyond the scope of this part of ISO 14505.
This part of ISO 14505 complements standards concerned with the ergonomics of thermal environments
and in particular can be used together with thermal indices that are valid for use in vehicle environments.
v
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
DRAFT International Standard ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
Ergonomics of the thermal environment — Evaluation of the
thermal environment in vehicles —
Part 3:
Evaluation of thermal comfort using human participants
1 Scope
This part of ISO 14505 gives guidelines and specifies a standard test method for the assessment, using human
participants, of thermal comfort in vehicles. It is not restricted to any particular vehicle but provides the
general principles that allow assessment and evaluation. The method can be used to determine a measure
of the performance of a vehicle for conditions of interest, in terms of whether it provides thermal comfort to
people or not. This can be used in vehicle development and evaluation.
This part of ISO 14505 is applicable to all types of vehicles, including cars, buses, trucks, off-road vehicles,
trains, aircraft, ships, submarines, and to the cabins of cranes and similar spaces. It applies where people
are enclosed in a vehicle and when they are exposed to outside conditions. For those exposed to outside
conditions, such as riders of bicycles or motorcycles, drivers of open sports cars and operators of fork lift
trucks without cabins, vehicle speed and weather conditions can dominate responses. The principles of
assessment, however, will still apply.
This part of ISO 14505 applies to both passengers and operators of vehicles where its application does not
interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle.
It presents the principles of the assessment and evaluation of thermal comfort, including the use of test
methods and trials. It also presents subjective methods that can be used in assessment.
This part of ISO 14505 is a basic ergonomics standard which can contribute to the development of standards
concerned with specific vehicles and products.
2 Normative references
Two options of text (remove the inappropriate option).
1) The normative references shall be introduced by the following wording.
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 7726, xxx, Ergonomics of the thermal environment — Instruments for measuring physical quantities
ISO 9886:2004, Ergonomics — Evaluation of thermal strain by physiological measurements
ISO 10551:2019, Ergonomics of the physical environment — Subjective judgement scales for assessing physical
environments
ISO 13731, Ergonomics of the thermal environment — Vocabulary and symbols
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 13731 and the following apply.
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
3.1
cold stress
climatic conditions under which the body heat exchange is just equal to, or too large for, heat balance at the
expense of significant physiological strain that sometimes cannot be compensated
3.2
equivalent temperature
temperature of a homogenous “room”, with mean radiant temperature equal to air temperature and zero
air velocity, in which a person exchanges the same heat loss by convection and radiation as in the actual
conditions
3.3
heat stress
climatic conditions under which the body heat exchange is just equal to, or too small for, heat balance at the
expense of significant physiological strain that sometimes cannot be compensated
3.4
HVAC-system
heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of the vehicle/cabin
3.5
local equivalent temperature
temperature of a homogenous “room”, with mean radiant temperature equal to air temperature and zero air
velocity, in which a defined zone of the human body surface exchanges the same heat loss by convection and
radiation as in the actual conditions
3.6
thermal asymmetry
degree to which opposite parts of the human body are exposed to different climatic conditions
3.7
thermoneutral zone
temperature interval within which the body maintains heat balance exclusively by vasomotor reactions
4 Assessment of vehicle environments using human participants
Although mathematical and physical models and thermal indices can provide repeatable, reliable methods
of assessment, vehicle environments are often complex, dynamic and influenced by many factors. Models
and indices are therefore often limited in validity. Human participants are required to provide a direct
means of measuring thermal comfort and to validate other techniques. It is important, therefore, to
develop assessment methods involving human participants. Such methods shall only be used where ethical
considerations and accepted practices involving human participants, as provided in ISO 12894, have been
carried out. They are used for one of four main reasons:
1 to evaluate thermal comfort in vehicle environments;
2 to set up or carry out standardized test methods of thermal comfort in vehicles;
3 to compare measures of thermal comfort in vehicles with prediction methods (models, indices) based
upon measures of the thermal environment in vehicles;
4 to determine the relationship between objective measures, such as skin temperatures, and subjective
measures of thermal comfort.
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
5 Principles of assessment
5.1 Subjective methods
Subjective methods quantify the response of people to an environment using subjective scales. Such scales
are based upon psychological continua (or constructs) that are relevant to the psychological phenomenon
of interest. It is important to know the properties of the scales in order to correctly interpret the results.
Scales of thermal sensation (hot or cold), preference, comfort, and stickiness are often used in thermal
comfort assessment. Advantages of subjective methods are that they are simple to administer and are
directly related to the psychological phenomenon. Disadvantages are that they can interfere with what they
are measuring, some groups may not be able to perform the subjective task (for example, babies, children,
people with disabilities) and there is no reason given as to why such a response is provided. ISO 10551 should
be used for guidance on the construction of subjective scales. Five types of scales are identified. These are:
Perceptual (How do you feel now? e.g. hot); Affective (How do you find it? e.g. comfortable); Preference (How
would you prefer to be? e.g. cooler); Acceptance (acceptable/unacceptable); Tolerance (Is the environment
tolerable?). From these basic subjective dimensions, questionnaires of subjective scales can be developed.
The subjective assessment methods presented in this part of ISO 14505 are concerned with thermal comfort
and therefore do not consider “tolerance”.
5.2 Objective methods
Objective methods are those which quantify the physical or mental condition of a person by the use of
instrumentation or measures of an output such as performance measures. The principle of the method is
that the measure can be interpreted in terms of the human condition of interest (e.g. thermal comfort).
An example would be the measurement of mean skin temperature of the body that would vary with the
thermoregulatory response to heat and cold (providing a rationale for the method) and that has been shown
in research to correlate with subjective responses of comfort. Another example would be skin wetness.
Disadvantages of objective methods can be that they might interfere with what they are attempting to
measure, the correlation between the measure and thermal comfort is not perfect and that thermal comfort
is a psychological phenomenon, a condition of mind. An advantage of objective measures is that they are
often independent of, and can be used to complement, the results of other methods such as subjective
measures. ISO 9886 should be used to provide methods for measurement and interpretation of physiological
strain in terms of body core temperature, mean skin temperature, heart rate and body mass loss. Other
measures, such as heart rate variability, may also be relevant.
5.3 Behavioural methods
Behavioural methods quantify or represent human behaviour in response to an environment. The particular
aspect of human behaviour observed is related to the human condition of interest (for example, thermal
comfort in vehicles) and a method of interpretation is required. Examples would include changes in posture,
movement patterns (for example, away from uncomfortable environments), and popularity of sitting
positions (for example, if some seats were in a cold draught they would be occupied “last”). Advantages
of behavioural methods include minimum interference with what is being measured and a direct “active”
measure of discomfort. Disadvantages include the difficulty in establishing validity and reliability of the
method and direct interpretation of the results in terms of thermal comfort. For example, a change in
posture could be due to chair discomfort or other “non-thermal” reasons.
5.4 Assessment of thermal comfort
Thermal comfort assessment is most effectively carried out using subjective methods. This is because
comfort is a psychological phenomenon and a subjective rating provides a direct and quantifiable method.
The simple test method provided in this part of ISO 14505 therefore uses subjective methods. Both objective
and behavioural methods can be used to complement the test method provided, however, they would require
expert advice beyond the scope of this part of ISO 14505.
oSIST prEN ISO 14505-3:2025
ISO/DIS 14505-3:2025(en)
6 Design of human participant trials
6.1 Aim of trial
The design of any vehicle test or trial using human participants will depend upon the specific aims of that
test or trial. However, there are general principles and these are outlined below.
A typical thermal comfort trial involves driving vehicles over a route and measuring operating conditions
and thermal responses of passengers. For specific investigations, simulators and environmental chambers /
wind tunnels are often used.
An optimum trial design will achieve its aim with efficient use of resources. To achieve this it is important to
be clear about the specific aim or aims. For example, if the aim is to compare three types of vehicle seats for
thermal comfort then a repeated measures design, where all participants sit on all seats (in a balanced order)
in identical conditions, could provide the best comparison of the seats. Contrast this with the evaluation of
a thermal comfort index where a wide range of environmental conditions, including seats, can be optimum.
If both aims need to be met then it is essential that both types of requirement are met in the design. It is
necessary, therefore, to be specific about the aims of the trial.
6.2 Selection of human participants
A valid method of e
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