Lexus is about to unveil a concept car seat partially made of synthetic spider silk. The radical seat concept, which will debut at the Paris Motor Show on September 29, incorporates a fibre net that ‘closely fits the body’s shape, dispersing load for prolonged seat comfort and optimal body support.’
The seat cushion and backrest are flexible to help stabalise the occupants head. In humans, the spine acts to keep the head stable. It allows the pelvis and chest to rotate in opposite directions while keeping the head in place, even when walking or jogging. Lexus has sought to recreate this movement with its Kinetic Seat Concept, in which the seat cushion and backrest are designed to move in relation to occupant weight and external force. Therefore, just by sitting in the seat, head movement caused by the motion of the vehicle, is stabilised. This keeps the occupant’s field of vision steady and makes driving easier and more comfortable.
The threads that form the backrest’s spider web-pattern construction are made from environmentally friendly, synthetic spider silk materials instead of petroleum-derived substances. The main component of this material is protein, created using microbial fermentation, then spun and processed into a new material offering superior shock absorption properties.
The net is flexible enough to closely fit the shape of the occupant’s body and Lexus claims that that this dispersing the body’s load makes it possible to sit comfortably for prolonged periods.
