Designing lightweight EV seat architecture is enormous challenge right now as the industry pushes to electrify vehicles that have bigger, heavier batteries, and there are increased electric draws from the seats. With an average seat in a vehicle weighing around 55-60kg, battery contributing significantly to the vehicle’s weight, designing a seat architecture where weight is kept low while safeguarding comfort and safety is a key priority.

The industry are focusing on modularity as a solution for reducing seat weight, with new seating concepts for electric vehicles that reduce seat weight without lowering value.

Get your copy of this insightful article written by Sahil Jain Lead - Seating Systems Arrival who explores modularity as a solution for reducing seat weight, as well as new seat architecture for electric vehicles, and the direct impact on the vehicle performance & range.

With the automotive industry facing a new end-of-life vehicle directive, and a continued push for recyclability, experts are questioning the readiness of circular economy, and what this means for automotive seating and interior industries.

• What measures are being taken by OEMs and Tier-1s to work towards and achieve high-level sustainability targets?
• What exactly does circularity mean for automotive seats?
• What are the new, more sustainable approaches, applications & production tools for seat manufacturing?
• How can the challenge to reduce the carbon footprint of the car seats without removing features & functions be solved?
• What are the innovative sustainability-driven materials for seat covers?
• What is the real value of leather alternatives (PVC), and how can sustainable materials perform against benchmarked polyurethane?

This article written by Sahil Jain, Lead - Seating Systems at Arrival, helps us to get a better understanding of these questions the industry are wanting the answers to.

• Understand how to interpret the new end-of-life vehicle directive from a seating & interior POV.
• Comparing innovative materials that are both sustainable & aesthetic for the seat.
  

Discover the cutting-edge techniques behind the creation of lightweight, high-performance car seats from one of the most prestigious names in the automotive industry. In this presentation, Davide delves into the intricate process of designing and producing Hypercar seats that exemplify both technical excellence and aesthetic appeal.

Key Highlights:

• Innovative Design Approaches: Learn about the design strategies that enhance both form and function.
• Advanced Materials: Explore the use of state-of-the-art materials that contribute to weight reduction without compromising strength or durability.
• Performance Optimisation: Understand how lightweight seating directly influences vehicle performance and efficiency.
• Homologation and Safety Standards: Gain insights into the rigorous safety protocols and compliance measures that ensure top-tier quality and safety.

Presented by: Davide Malaguti | Trims Lead Engineer - Cockpit | Bugatti-Rimac

The Automotive IQ team have compiled our most popular and widely read content in the last year into an exclusive resource bundle, including:

1. Designing a lightweight seat for increased electrification - Sahil Jain, Lead - Seating Systems, Pebble
2. Meeting high-end sustainability and circularity targets in automotive seating - Sahil Jain, Lead - Seating Systems, Pebble
3. Impact of autonomous driving & ADAS features on automotive seating - Dr. Jose Sloaz, Scientific Director, Head of Innovation, Automobile & Mobility, Instituto De Biomecanica
4. Crash simulation and testing for autonomous vehicle seats - Dr. Christophe Bastien, Associate Professor, Coventry University
   

This report examines Instituto de Biomecánica's (IBV) approach to the generation of three-dimensional digital human models in the driving posture and the anthropometric measurements obtained using traditional methods. 

The research, part of a project led by the Japanese Automotive Research Institute (JARI), aims to improve impact simulations and safety measures in vehicles by using more accurate, customised digital models. The report outlines the methodology, including data collection, 3D scanning, and the analysis of body morphology to create more representative models for vehicle design and safety testing.

As the automotive industry focuses on meeting consumer demand in seat designs, Dr. Peter Vink offers valuable insights on the balance between safety and comfort, as well as addressing these challenges to ensure seats are both lightweight and safe. He explores long-term sustainability goals shaping the future of automotive seating.

Discussion highlights:

• The primary challenges of designing lightweight seat architecture for electric vehicles (EVs), while ensuring safety and comfort are not compromised.
• Innovative materials currently being used in EV seat design to reduce weight, while providing the necessary comfort for passengers.
• The long-term sustainability goals that are guiding the evolution of seat design in the automotive industry.
• The next significant challenge in seat design and predications for how it will evolve over the next three years.

This case study highlights the factors of automotive seating for L4/5 autonomy and explains how OOP seating will come into play, as well as detailing results from recent crash testing. 

Case study: The Impact of Autonomous Driving & ADAS Features on Automotive Seating, featuring insights from Dr. José Solaz, Scientific Director, Head of Innovation, Automobile & Mobility, Instituto de Biomecánica (IBV)

The drive towards vehicles operating at fully autonomous Level 4 (L4) and Level 5 (L5) is heading into the next stages of development in the industry, particularly in the seating and interiors area, with full autonomy predicting to completely change the business of seating. What will this mean for the interior and seating segment from a technical point of view and what will be the dollar impact of this evolution is unknown at this point. This case study aims to shed light on the technical implications and financial considerations surrounding the autonomy evolution and the seating transformations that will come along with it.

Case study interview: Crash Simulation and Testing for Autonomous Vehicle Seats with Dr. Christophe Bastien, Associate Professor, Coventry University

This case study interview delves into the critical aspect of crash simulation and testing specific to autonomous vehicle seats. Christophe examines the tools and methodologies required to accurately evaluate seat performance under various crash scenarios, including out-of-position seating. Christophe shares images of crash testing which demonstrate the scenario of a crash in both standard and rotated seat positions. 

Get your copy of this exclusive presentation from Seating and Sustainable Material industry experts, Adam Leker and Sean Harper at JLR, which was presented at the Automotive Seating Technology 2023 conference.

Adam and Sean detailed the industry’s strategy for using bio-based materials and answered the following questions:

• What are the credible alternatives to leather that meet the same requirements of durability, comfort, and appearance?

• What are the ‘green credentials’ of alternative materials?

• Is there a sustainable way to carry on using leather in the industry?

Sustainability is still a big topic in the industry and is being covered at Automotive IQ's 2024 Seating Innovation conference, with new angles focusing on: 

• Circular economy - what is the industry doing in terms of recycling and how are seats being designed to meet this criteria.
• How can the industry get the most out of the seat at the end of the vehicle's life to stop it going to landfill.
• How can OEMs achieve luxury seats and designs by using recycled materials?