Lexus will be debuting a wild new concept at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, but this is no vehicle — the Lexus Kinetic Seat Concept uses synthetic spider silk to create a web-pattern net:
The seat is designed to suspend the driver and passenger, reducing the impact of vehicle motion while increasing comfort — from the press release:
The seat frame “upholstery” comprises a spider web-pattern net with threads that spread out radially from the center 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 center 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 stabilize 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.
The webbing is made from synthetic spider silk, which is to say it’s complicated:
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.
The Lexus Kinetic Seat Concept will debut alongside the UX Crossover Concept on September 29th at the Paris Motor Show.