MAGNA Say Some Hurdles of Seat-reconfiguration System to Be Addressed by OEMs

Some challenges, such as reworking airbags to meet all seating scenarios, will be solved by the OEM as the final system integrator.

August 1, 2024

Chris Clonts

The front row of Magna’s new seating system can power-rotate up to 270 degrees, meaning they can fully face the second row. The Chinese OEM that bought the system will restrict that to when the vehicle is parked. (Credit: MAGNA)

Rearward-facing front seats have generally been limited to concept cars that explore a far-away world in which SAE Level 5 autonomous driving has been perfected. Magna has rewritten that playbook, winning a contract with a Chinese OEM for a reconfigurable seating system that includes fully rotating front seats on long rails, creating an unusually flexible cabin.

Currently configured for vehicles with two rows of seating, the system features power-swivel seats along rails or tracks nearly two meters (6.6 ft) long. The front passenger and driver seats can rotate 270 degrees.

Both rows can be folded and moved very close together along the 2-meter track, creating storage space. (Credit: MAGNA)

SAE Media asked Kai Zhao, Magna’s senior director of engineering, about issues around power routing, safety, and who ultimately decides how the seating system would be used in production vehicles.

On the intriguing possibility of having the front row face rearward for fully autonomous driving, Zhao said that the OEM determines the parameters for various seating positions. “In partnership with the OEM, Magna can design structurally sound seats facing either direction,” he said, “In the case of the vehicle launching in China, our reconfigurable seating system allows rearward facing only when the vehicle is parked, enhancing flexibility and comfort for stationary use.”

It’s not just the seats: passengers can also configure the center console, which shares the rail attachment/adjustment system.

The seats have integrated safety belts designed to better cope with the strength and adjustment requirements in complex scenarios. So the seatbacks are likely stronger than standard auto seating since the seat belts aren’t anchored to a pillar or the ceiling. Zhao said that, as with the orientation of the seats, “the integration and functionality of airbags and other safety systems are controlled by the OEM, who must consider all aspects of the vehicle’s interior configuration and packaging.”

Magna says the seatbacks have a universal magnetic interface that allows for different external devices, such as tablet computers or media players.

Twin 2-meter-long tracks are the key to the wide range of possibile positions of not only seats, but the center console as well. (Credit: MAGNA)

Despite the range of motion in a seat with so much potential rotation and a long track, Zhao said exotic power and data connections, such as inductive power, were unnecessary. “The magnetic power outlets integrated into the seat backs connect to a [traditional] wiring harness within the seat structure, ensuring reliable power delivery to the universal adapter in the seat back regardless of seat position,” he said.

The reconfigurability of the seats, currently, is constrained by keeping them in the vehicle and on the rails. While removability can be designed into the system, it often presents practical challenges,” Zhao said. “Removing seats can be cumbersome and may require multiple people, and storing the seats after removal requires additional storage space. One of the key advantages of Magna’s reconfigurable seating is the ability to swiftly transform the vehicle interior from a passenger carrier to a cargo space without needing to remove seats.”

Magna Seating president John Wyskiel said the engineering team worked closely with the Chinese OEM to explore future uses and respond to the local market. Some of the use cases included in the planning are parenting, long-distance travel, camping, and storage. Additionally, he said the key was being able to work quickly to provide a solution to the OEM. “With our strong R&D and innovation capabilities in China and around the world,” he said, “we can create more localized, innovative solutions.”

Magna has disclosed neither the Chinese OEM that has bought the system nor the type of vehicle it could go into. But one can easily imagine a mini- or micro-van scenario. (Credit: MAGNA)

Zhao also credited previous teams’ seating work, saying it was the basis for being able to create the reconfigurable seating system. “We have a long history in designing and producing complex seating systems. For example our power stow to floor, ZG Lounger, stadium cushion, and EZ Entry systems,” he said. “Our methodology is to design seating solutions that adapt the vehicle cabin to consumer needs, rather than the consumer adapting to the vehicle cabin. As consumer needs change, our innovative reconfigurable seating system can solve various seating configuration use cases and needs.”

Magna will manufacture the seating system in China. The OEM’s production and assembly of the final vehicle should begin later this year.