The headrest of the NHK Spring's seat supports the occipital bone behind the ear on both sides, which helps to keep the passenger's head steady when driving. This is supposed to help with motion sickness symptom onset.
The seats are designed to evenly distribute pressure from hips to buttocks. Each seat will come with a touch panel at the armrest that operates the dashboard dials and displays. The design will also enable space conservation for electric vehicles, as the new seats are 40% thinner than most car seats but offer "the same level of cushioning and comfort."
NHK Spring plans to sell this seat to car manufacturers, specifically those who sell vehicles with Level 3 autonomous capabilities. With L3 autonomy, drivers can leave operations to the vehicle, but they must be ready to take over when needed. The company expects this market to expand rapidly throughout this decade.
Source: Nikkei Asia
