Lexus has announced it will
debut the Kinetic Seat Concept at the 2016 Paris Motor Show that begins at the
end of this month, as a standalone display.
MOVABLE SEAT CUSHION AND BACK REST
In humans, the spine acts to
stabilise the head. It allows the pelvis and chest to rotate in opposite
directions, stabilising movement of the head even while walking or jogging. In
order to recreate this movement in car seats, the seat cushion and back rest
were designed to move kinetically with occupant weight and external forces.
Thus, simply sitting in the seat helps stabilise head movement caused by
vehicle motion, keeping the field of vision steady. This reduces the burden on
occupants, improving ease of driving and comfort.
SPIDER WEB-PATTERN NET SEATS
The seat frame “upholstery”
comprises a spider web-pattern net with threads that spread out radially from
the centre of the back rest. The net is sufficiently flexible to closely fit
body shape, dispersing the load to help make it possible to sit comfortably for
prolonged periods. The centre of the back rest is at shoulder blade height,
which induces rotational movement of the chest around the seat's pivotal axis.
This helps to stabilise the head and thus helps to ensure a high level of
support. The seat has also been made slimmer, making the overall car lighter in
weight.
SYNTHETIC SPIDER SILK
The threads at the back rest
of the spider web-pattern construction are made from environmentally-conscious
synthetic spider silk materials* instead of petroleum-derived materials. The
main component of this material is protein, which is created through microbial
fermentation, then spun and processed into a new material offering superior
shock absorbance properties.