Are you sitting comfortably? Because the design and construction of the Lexus Kinetic Seat Concept looks set to redefine the very principles of car seats in the future. Even the fibre used in the seat is truly revolutionary; four times stronger than steel, yet more flexible than nylon. The Kinetic Seat Concept made its debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
MADE TO MOVE, CREATED FOR COMFORT
In humans, the spine acts to stabilise the head, allowing the pelvis and chest to rotate in opposite directions and minimise the movement of the head, even while walking or jogging.
In order to recreate this movement in car seats, the seat cushion and backrest are designed to react kinetically to both the occupant's weight and vehicle motion. Simply by sitting in the seat reduces head movement and stabilises the occupant's field of vision.
The seat frame upholstery is a spider web-pattern that radiates from the centre. The net closely fits the shape of the body, spreading the weight evenly, so the driver, or passenger, can sit comfortably for longer.
SUPERIOR SHOCK ABSORPTION
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 again helps stabilise the head and ensure a high level of support. The seat has also been made slimmer, making the overall car lighter in weight.
The threads of the spider web-pattern are a synthetic fibre called Qmonos™, from the Japanese word 'kumonosu' meaning 'spider web'. The main component is protein, created through microbial fermentation. Qmonos™ is so strong that just a 1cm diameter web would be strong enough to stop a jumbo jet during take off or landing.
