How important is a car seat?

Bao Linh• August 16, 2018 15:57

Sitting posture, driving seat... are some of the most important factors for every driver. However, many drivers do not pay attention to this.

When driving, how to sit or the design of the driver's seat, the material used... are some of the very important factors for every driver. However, in today's life, few people pay attention to this when driving or buying a car.

Especially, with increasingly crowded and congested traffic conditions like today in some big cities of Vietnam, it isDriving in the wrong position for a long time, with an unsuitable seat or poor quality materials will cause many harmful effects: It can cause accidents, bone and joint diseases...

A comfortable seat will help the driver feel less tired on long journeys.

Specifically, tpigMedical experts warn that sitting for too long can cause a host of health problems, such as back pain. According to Florida Hospital Medical Group, this is because sitting puts 40% more pressure on the spine than standing.

“Therefore, when traveling by car, you should choose a car with a firm, scientifically designed seat that supports the lower back well and has a contoured seat to provide extra back support and comfort,” said Chase Schneier, a chiropractor from the US who works at Bioenergy Asia Chiropractic Clinic in Bangkok, Thailand.

If before in Vietnam,Most customers say that cabin comfort is just one of the 10 factors to consider when buying a car. Now, according to a recent Chevrolet survey, changes were found, with about 95% of customers rating spacious legroom and comfortable seats as the top important factors.

To have a comfortable seat, auto engineers must research very carefully with the support of machines.

“Customers have told us that when driving during rush hour, nothing is more important to them than a comfortable seat. We listened to their feedback and responded by providing seats that are not only comfortable but also durable,” said Chatchawan Chantaket, GM Southeast Asia’s engineering director.

Depending on each vehicle project, GM's team of seating engineers from around the world may work together, using high-tech tools, real-world testing and customer feedback to refine the contours of the cushions and seat structure.

Early in the seat manufacturing process, engineers can use “Oscar,” a 3D human-like mannequin, to help calculate the overall design of the vehicle’s interior to optimize space and comfort for passengers.

A robot sits on a chair like a real person to evaluate the impact of force and deflection of the chair.

GM’s seat engineers also used digital pressure mapping technology to measure the distribution of pressure on the seat surface, producing a map with more than 4,600 data points. This information is transmitted to a computer and displayed in graphic form, simulating the impact mechanism when the passenger sits in the seat and while driving.

To complete the seat pressure mapping, engineers will use a robot to sit in the chair like a real person to assess the impact of force and deflection of the seat, helping to determine whether the seat is too hard or too soft.

But GM’s seat engineers don’t rely solely on machines; they also conduct evaluations with volunteers sitting in the cars, spending hundreds of hours and driving thousands of miles to ensure they get the feedback they need from the prototypes.

Bao Linh