Faurecia reinvents automotive seating
A simplified, modular architecture
This new approach to seating design drastically reduces the number of components used in a regular seat from around 120 components to 10 modules which can be assembled in a wide variety of configurations close to the car manufacturer. Another advantage of the modular seat architecture is that it can be adapted to any car manufacturer and seating frame platform, covering multiple vehicles with significantly reduced upfront costs.
“This approach facilitates flexible seat assembly options with a broad range of stylings, while at the same time significantly reducing development and validation costs for our customers. It has the potential to disrupt today’s just-in-time based production model, mainly for vehicles with lower volumes, by producing the modules in massified regional hubs and commissioning the complete seats close to, or even in, the customers’ assembly plants. Furthermore, it creates substantial business opportunities for our customers, based on longer vehicle product lifecycles and increased demand for comfort."
Frank Huber, Executive Vice President, Faurecia Automotive Seating
A seat that adapts to your needs during its lifetime
Longer vehicle product lifecycles and increased demand for onboard comfort have created the need for vehicle owners to be able to change some parts of the seat to extend the life of the vehicle, and to add new functions to the seat for a customized well-being experience.
Faurecia’s new modular and sustainable seat makes it easy to exchange or replace parts such as covers and cushions, or upgrade with innovative new features like massage, lumbar support, sensing, immersive sound experience and other comfort modules over the seat’s lifetime.
Supporting the circular economy
Focused on sustainability, this approach is also reducing the carbon footprint of seating inspired by circularity: streamlining design to use less material; choosing sustainable materials that are recyclable, recycled or bio-sourced (including fossil-free steel); avoiding mixed materials to simplify recycling; making seats easier to assemble and disassemble; and concentrating the production of modules in regional centers to allow the seat to be assembled as close as possible to the customer's site. This modular and sustainable approach offers up to 55% lower CO2 emissions and up to 40% more recycled content than a seat in production today.
“One of the most tangible ways to differentiate ourselves is moving our industry towards a more sustainable and circular economy. Our new modular and sustainable seating solution, that we are showing today as a break-through innovation, is a great example of this.”
Christian Beer, Sustainable and modular seat product line Director
With the brand new modular and sustainable seat introduced at CES 2023, Faurecia is continuing its innovative seating design approach that is completely rethinking seats from frame to foam, covers and accessories. The first cars featuring this kind of seat should roll off the production lines in 2025.
