Overview
ISO 7397-2:1993 - "Passenger cars - Verification of driver's direct field of view - Part 2: Test method" - specifies a standardized test method to verify a passenger car’s compliance with the driver’s 180° forward field of view requirements in EEC Directives 77/649 and 88/366. Intended for vehicles defined under ISO 3833, this part complements ISO 7397‑1 (vehicle positioning for static measurement) and includes a normative Annex A on laser measuring devices and angular corrections.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope & purpose: Defines how to perform static measurements to confirm the driver’s direct field of view without mirror aids.
- Reference points & geometry:
- R‑Point, H‑Point, P‑Point - seating and pivot reference coordinates used to position templates and measuring devices.
- Eyellipse / eyellipse template - two‑dimensional plan and side templates representing driver eye ranges used to construct sight lines.
- V‑Points (Vision Points) and E‑Points (Eye Points) - specific coordinates from which sight lines are checked; tables provide basic X, Y, Z coordinates for a design seat‑torso angle (25°) and corrections for other angles/seating ranges.
- Test equipment:
- Beam projection device (theodolite style) mounted on a 3‑D measuring head
- Device for measuring obstruction angles (micrometer)
- Transparent overlay for the windscreen
- Optional laser theodolite / laser measuring device per Annex A (including calibration and angular correction tables)
- Procedure highlights:
- Position vehicle per ISO 7397‑1 and set vehicle attitude/loads per EEC Directive requirements.
- Mount and calibrate projection device; mark V‑Points and P‑Points on the windscreen overlay.
- Rotate beams through the 180° forward range, determine intersections with A‑pillars, and record obstruction angles. Micrometer outputs the obstruction angle; symmetry checks and additional measurements follow.
- Use laser device procedure (Annex A) when applicable, with safety and calibration checks.
Practical applications and users
- Vehicle manufacturers and design engineers validating windshield geometry, A‑pillar placement, and driver visibility early in design and before certification.
- Compliance and homologation testing labs performing EEC/UNECE regulatory verification.
- Safety engineers and ergonomists assessing blind spots and visibility-related crash mitigation.
- Regulatory authorities and technical inspectors evaluating conformity to the field‑of‑view directives.
Related standards
- ISO 7397‑1:1993 - Vehicle positioning for static measurement
- ISO 3833:1977 - Road vehicle types, terms and definitions
- ISO 4513 / ISO 6549 - Eye range / seating definitions referenced
- EEC Directives 77/649 and 88/366 - Field of Vision requirements
Keywords: ISO 7397-2, driver field of view, passenger car visibility test, A‑pillar obstruction, V‑Point, eyellipse, laser theodolite, EEC 77/649 compliance.
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