In recent years, personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) have attracted attention as a new means of transportation for the elderly. In general, PMVs have the advantage of being compact and maneuverable, but both the rider and vehicle have a high center of gravity, which may cause the rider to lose balance. In this study, we investigated the dynamic characteristics of PMV riders during acceleration and braking and conducted vehicle experiments to clarify differences in dynamic characteristics depending on age and driving conditions. Measurements of the change in position of the body center of gravity showed that the elderly riders tended to have a greater change in their center of gravity toward the front of the vehicle during braking than younger riders, resulting in a greater risk of falling. An analysis of correlations and time-series changes in joint moments revealed that the elderly riders tended to control their posture by applying force to the joints of the lower body, such as the ankles and knees, whereas the younger riders tended to stabilize their posture by effectively applying force to the joints of the upper body, such as the elbows and wrists, in addition to joints of the lower body. Furthermore, the results show that applying a force in advance to counteract movement before braking helps minimize joint displacement and the shift in the center of gravity.
NAKAGAWA et al. (2026) studied this question.