ISO 4513:2022

Overview

ISO 4513:2022 - Road vehicles - Visibility - Method for establishment of eyellipses for driver's eye location defines a statistical, three‑dimensional model (the eyellipse) for locating drivers’ eyes inside vehicles. The standard provides procedures to construct 95th and 99th percentile tangent cut‑off eyellipses for a 50/50 adult gender mix, and gives locating formulae, axis dimensions and orientation for adjustable and fixed seat configurations. It applies to Class A vehicles (passenger cars, MPVs, light trucks) and also addresses Class B vehicles (heavy trucks) via annexes.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Eyellipse definition: a 3D elliptical representation of the statistical envelope of driver eye locations (tangent cut‑off and inclusive variants).
• Percentiles: Procedures to construct 95th and 99th percentile tangent cut‑off eyellipses for a 50/50 gender mix; annexes provide methods for other population mixes and percentiles.
• Axis lengths and orientation:
  • Example axis lengths for adjustable seats (seat track travel >133 mm):
    • 95th percentile X = 206.4 mm, Y = 60.3 mm, Z = 93.4 mm
    • 99th percentile X = 287.1 mm, Y = 85.3 mm, Z = 132.1 mm
  • Eyellipse is aligned with vehicle axes in plan and rear views and is tipped down at the front in side view; side‑view angle β = 12°.
• Centroid locating formulae: Formulas (in the standard) compute eyellipse centroid positions as functions of vehicle packaging geometry (steering location, seat geometry, presence of clutch, etc.).
• Neck pivot (P) and eye (E) points: Defined for adjustable seat eyellipses to derive specific left/right eye points for direct and indirect viewing tasks (linked to SAE J1050 sight tasks).
• Annexes: Methods for fixed seats, population‑specific eyellipses, inclusive vs tangent cut‑off eyellipses, Class B vehicle eyellipses, and background to the revision.

Practical applications and users

ISO 4513:2022 is used by professionals concerned with vehicle visibility, ergonomics and safety:

• Vehicle interior and exterior designers - to size and place rear‑view mirrors, direct/indirect viewing devices, and glazing areas.
• Visibility and lighting engineers - to define field‑of‑view requirements, A‑pillar design, mirror geometry, and wiped/defrosted zones.
• Safety regulators and test labs - to evaluate compliance and perform human‑centred visibility tests.
• Anthropometric researchers and seating system designers - to model driver populations and seat track effects.

Practical design examples include rear‑view mirror placement, assessment of A‑pillar obstruction, windshield and window sight lines, and specifying defrost/wipe coverage areas.

Related standards

• SAE J1050 - Direct and indirect viewing tasks referenced for P/E point use.
• SAE J1100 - Vehicle class definitions used by ISO 4513.
• ISO 6549 - H‑ and R‑point procedures referenced for interior reference points.

Keywords: ISO 4513:2022, eyellipse, driver eye location, road vehicles visibility, 95th percentile, 99th percentile, neck pivot (P) points, tangent cut‑off eyellipse, Class A vehicles, vehicle visibility design.