Sitting on the Job

August 1, 2018

Terry Costlow

Faurecia’s aftermarket seat provides pneumatic massages as well as heating and cooling. (Image: FAURECIA)

Knobs, buttons and touchscreens all play a huge role in improving efficiency and reducing operator fatigue. But when drivers think about comfort, they usually focus on seating. Seat designers are exploring a range of technologies and concepts that improve seating comfort without adding any weight.

Engineers in commercial seating are exploring a range of materials and concepts to help reduce operator fatigue and discomfort. Many advances come from automotive companies that have the volumes to support much research. Improved materials and a growing number of support options are among the borrowed features from autos, as are additional safety features.

“We’ve done a lot with seats, going to dual-density foam that has a plush feel but is still solid,” said Ryan Nagode, chief interior designer for Ram Trucks. “Seats also have lumbar adjustment with four-way movement. Occupant sensors detect weight of the passenger and communicate with a two-stage airbag.”

Commercial drivers and operators who sit for long hours want features now found in luxury vehicles. Faurecia, a leading seat supplier, is expanding its efforts to help passenger-car drivers “arrive at their destination feeling better than when they left,” according to Kevin Wright, manager of Faurecia Seating’s Innovation Plateau.

Faurecia is ramping up an aftermarket seat aimed at commercial trucking, planning to start shipments next year. The Active Wellness Express cover system brings some features Faurecia now provides for automotive OEMs, sparking rumors that the company may enter the OEM side of trucking and off-highway markets. Along with basics like heating and cooling, the aftermarket seat addresses common driver complaints.

“Drivers and fleet owners talked about leg pain and tired legs,” Wright said. “Massage functions can help blood flow and prevent clotting. Drivers can also turn on heaters in just the seat cushion to warm their legs and alleviate some of the discomfort.”

The massage functions can address a range of driver issues.

“When the driver is stressed, he or she may want to turn on a soothing massage,” Wright said. “When they’re tired, they can turn on an aggressive massage. We use pneumatic massage; vibratory massages aren’t necessarily relaxing. With inflatable bladders, you can control the movement and change the patterns.”

Seat designers are always focused on comfort, but weight comes in a close second. That’s another area where commercial vehicles can piggyback on advances in the materials and techniques used in passenger cars. New plastics can replace the metal that’s been used for frames and seat mounting rails. The foams that provide comfort are also evolving to help reduce size and weight.

“Tracks are being made out of thinner, stronger materials,” Wright said. “They’ve always been steel, but we’re using new plastics to take out mass. Cover carving technology lets us build seats with plastic panels. Different foaming techniques make it possible to cure cushioning materials directly onto rigid plastics.”