Lexus to Debut New Kinetic Seat Concept at Paris Motor Show

krew

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krew
16-09-15-lexus-kinetic-seat-concept.jpg


This is no ordinary seat, it's made from synthetic spider silk.
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Interesting concept, but that is creepy AF. Can you imagine explaining what your seats are made of to your mother when you take her for a spin in your new Lexus? "Oh yeah, it uses sustainable materials. One of which is fake spider silk." Cue the horror.
 

meth.ix

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No matter how stretchy and body-sculpting it is, it can't be as comfortable as leather IMO.
 

Joaquin Ruhi

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On the heels of the recent naming of the Lexus LC interior to their "10 Best" list, WardsAuto posted an article on future trends in automotive interiors. It kicks off with this discussion on the Lexus UX's Kinetic Seat Concept:

The Lexus UX Concept CUV introduced at the Paris auto show last year is noteworthy for several reasons: It features an unusual bare-bones “deconstructed” interior design; a separate world premier was staged at the motor show just for a more refined version of the vehicle’s seats; and the seat material is made from spider webs.

Auto designers have been dreaming up lightweight seats made of gossamer wings for decades, but the Lexus Kinetic Seat Concept uses synthetic spider silk that is a functional and extremely tough material.

Made by Japan-based Spiber, the main ingredient is protein created through microbial fermentation. The protein then is spun and processed into a new material with impressive properties. Another benefit is it is not derived from petroleum. Called QMONOS, it currently is being commercialized for a variety of applications.

What’s more, the seat isn’t just a gimmicky sling or a hammock. The seat cushion and backrest are designed to move kinetically with occupant weight and external forces. Sitting in the seat helps stabilize head movement caused by vehicle motion, keeping the field of vision steady, Lexus says. It’s unlikely this idea will show up in production soon, but it illustrates how hard automakers are looking for new ways to impress consumers with style and comfort while chopping weight at the same time.

The entire article, titled Automotive Interiors: From Steel to Spider Webs, is a long but interesting and worthwhile read, veering into other subjects from new materials to a discussion of natural leather take rates and supply vs demand to "new car smell" to automotive supplier seating concepts (Adient's Vision Seat and Bose Ride technology) that have some commonality with Lexus' goals in creating the Kinetic Seat Concept.

Here's a link to the full article:
http://wardsauto.com/site-files/wardsauto.com/files/uploads/2017/04/06/WardsAuto-BigStory-0417B.pdf