Nissan Strapping on Elderly Suit in Car Tests

Think about the elderly for a minute. If you had to name one stereotype you associate with that age group — besides their infamous role in the 2000 presidential election — what would it be? Metamucil guzzling? Shuffleboard playing? Come on, dig deeper. That’s right: bad driving. It’s unfair — perhaps untrue — and totally stereotypical, but you thought of it, not us.

Nissan understands the factors that play into the stereotype, though, and is using a suit to simulate those factors in new car testing. Thick, dark glasses approximate eyesight loss, pads re-create arthritis, and gloves substitute for a lack of dexterity in hand motion. Nissan believes baby boomers (perhaps you’ve heard marketing types talk about these "baby boomers" before) are the key to future sales, so it’s strapping on the elderly suit and giving these new car dealies a whirl. What will they think of next? A bed you can adjust? Now that’s just silly talk.   

Nissan using special suit to simulate elderly drivers (AutoBlog)