If Ford is letting its human factors engineers travel forward in time, Nissan has been sending its into space. The Japanese car maker, together with researchers at Keio University in Japan, have been working on seats designed to reduce driver fatigue, inspired by the position our bodies adopt in weightlessness. In a conventional seat, most of the load is borne by the lumbar region. In the ‘zero gravity’ seats, which debuted in last year’s Nissan Altima, the seat provides continuous support from the pelvis to the upper back. This reduces the work its occupant’s muscles need to do to support them, increasing bloodflow and decreasing fatigue, especially on longer drives.
- Reduces fatigue by up to 30 % on long drives
- Human insight: Comfort based on the outstanding fundamental research evaluated with blood circulation
This is the secret behind Nissan’s ‘zero gravity’ seats!