This Is How Car Seats Evolved Through the Years

Several types are being developed, from basic seats to sport-inspired versions, but all of them stick to the same basic principles and structures that provide a high level of comfort and safety while also integrating the latest technologies, design trends, and materials.

The frames are developed to allow multiple adjustments and provide an elevated level of comfort using lightweight, high-strength materials to maximize safety without adding a considerable amount of weight to the vehicle.

The base material inside them has also changed from the basic foam used in the past to highly complex composites that are denser and more comfortable while having a wide range of orthopedic properties.

On the outside, the variety of materials used for the covers are now meticulously analyzed so that they are equally comfortable and last longer under extreme conditions like extensive sun exposure.

Although heated seats have been available since the late 1960s, when Cadillac introduced this optional feature on the de Ville, it took several decades for it to become widespread, with the vast majority of manufacturers today offering this option either as standard or as an added feature for both front and back seats.

Also, many carmakers are now offering ventilated surfaces so that the horrible feeling of getting burned by the seats when entering a car on a sizzling summer day has become a distant memory. Adjustments to seating positions are now extremely complex, with manufacturers focusing on providing optimum comfort for occupants, regardless of height or weight.

Lumbar support has become widespread , premium seats now feature massage options and manufacturers like Ford have developed models that can recline and adjust so that owners can comfortably sleep inside their vehicles.

Safety requirements have exponentially increased in past decades and most front seats now feature side airbags that protect the occupants from serious ribcage injuries in the event of an accident. All seats now have headrests, something that was optional decades ago, with most premium manufacturers offering active versions that adjust automatically in case of a collision.

Sport seats feature lightweight integrated headrest that have been rigorously designed after countless hours of tests and simulations in the most demanding circumstances, to make sure they can effectively prevent whiplash injuries that result from rear or side collisions.

Finally, before they go into production, prototypes are thoroughly tested. Engineers make sure that they are comfortable for any body type, in a variety of road conditions. Materials are subject to extreme stretch tests to improve durability. Also, various temperatures are simulated to make sure their texture and color remain intact in the long run.

In the past, seats were nothing more than basic surfaces that provided drivers and passengers with a limited amount of comfort. With only a couple of adjustments to the seating position and few safety requirements (if any) to comply with, they never represented an integral part of a vehicle’s development.

This has changed significantly in modern times, with the fast-paced evolution of the industry and the quest to improve comfort, safety, and build products that are pleasing to the eye.

Car seats now feature technologies that were part of the science fiction realm not too long ago and with autonomous cars slowly but surely becoming a reality, they will likely be even more versatile and comfortable in the near future.