A Relationship Between Design and Drivers' Discomfort Perception in Baja SAE Competition Vehicles Emilene Zitkus 1 , Ana Lya M. Ferrari 2 , Renato dos Santos Pinto 3 , Vanessa Usó 4 , Thais D. Reis 5 , Fausto O. Medola 6 , Luis C. Paschoarelli 7 UNESP 'Universidade Estadual Paulista', Bauru, Sao Paulo, Brazil, CEP 17033-360 1 emilenezitkus@gmail.com, , 2 ana.lya.mf@gmail.com, 3 renatobtu@hotmail.com, 4 vanessauso@hotmail.com, 5 tdeloroso@gmail.com, 6 fausto.medola@faac.unesp.br, 7 paschoarelli@faac.unesp.br Keywords: vehicles' design, vehicles' ergonomics, comfort 1 Context The present study is part of a research project to assess the ergonomic conditions of two vehicle designs used in the Baja SAE students' competition: the previous design concept, created in 2013 and, the new one, created in 2015. The next pages summa- rises a study that focused on the relationship between design and comfort among pilots of both cars. It aimed to provide design guidelines for the next concept (under development), in order to improve ergonomics aspects and consequently the comfort of pilots while driving the vehicle. Besides the mechanics, the main design differences between both cars are the follow- ing: - total length and chassis length respectively: 1959mm and 1400mm in the 2015 con- cept; 1930mm and 1445mm in the 2013 concept; - the driver's seat was totally redesigned in the 2015 model. A thin shape of the seat, a backrest with headrest and decreased dimensions were adopted in the 2015 concept; whilst the 2013 had a shell shape and wider dimensions of the length of the seat and the width of the backrest. Several past studies in vehicles' ergonomics and comfort, focus on seats' comfort (ZENK, 2012; KAMP, 2012; VINK et al., 2012; HOFFMAN and JUNIOR, 2010; FAI et al., 2007; KOLICH et al., 2004; KOLICH, 2003) and drivers' posture (HAN- SON, 2006; PARK et al., 2000, PORTER and GYI, 1998; TILLY e DREIFUSS, 1993; REBIFFE, 1969). They recommend adjustable mechanisms in the drivers' seat, backrest, headrest, steering wheel, and other controls, allowing that the drivers' posi- tion is safe and comfortable for a great diversity of people (generally from the 5% to the 95% percentile of the population). Other studies recommend seats' shape and