Automotive Seat Design Guideline

Manufacturers have to adhere to minimum federal regulations for automotive seat design. Head restraints and distance requirements between the driver and steering wheel are the most important regulations due to crash-safety standards. Outside of these mandatory regulations, auto manufacturers design seats according to ergonomics, comfort and functionality.

Drivers Size

According to Edmunds.com, auto manufacturers are designing seats to accommodate drivers who have become larger in size over the years. They also have to engineer seats for smaller drivers; for example, many females are not as big as men. Manufacturers have to accommodate their intended drivers by making sure that their seats will protect them while providing substantial interior comfort.

Comfort

Drivers spend a lot of time in their vehicles, so they make a lot of their decisions about owning a vehicle from the seated position. Lawrence Smith, senior project manager for Nissan, points out that motorists are essentially wearing their vehicles when they drive, and that's one reason why seat comfort is so important from the driver's perspective.

Functionality

Automotive manufacturers have to consider various aspects of seat design, ranging from the physical sizes of drivers and passengers to materials used to manufacture the seats. Driver seats are made to be hard or soft, and seat manufacturers also take people with physiological problems into consideration when they produce seating for a vehicle.

References

• Edmunds: Creating the Perfect Fit--New Car Seat Design

Resources

• Automotive Seat Design: Feel Parameters