Car Chat General discussion about Lexus, other auto manufacturers and automotive news.

0 % Gravity Seats?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-16-13, 05:24 PM
  #1  
GRPFAN
Pole Position
Thread Starter
 
GRPFAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 396
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default 0 % Gravity Seats?

I watch a Nissan Altima commercial today and they advertise 0 % gravity seats inspired by NASA.

How do they work, or is this just hot air to sell a Nissan??

Cheers!
GRPFAN is offline  
Old 04-16-13, 05:33 PM
  #2  
bagwell
Lexus Champion
 
bagwell's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Posts: 11,205
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

bagwell is offline  
Old 04-16-13, 08:03 PM
  #3  
Chocolate
Instructor
 
Chocolate's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: U.S.
Posts: 1,139
Received 25 Likes on 22 Posts
Default

It's pure bull****, they're claiming they used NASA research to make the seats more comfortable.

Last edited by Chocolate; 04-16-13 at 08:06 PM.
Chocolate is offline  
Old 04-16-13, 08:19 PM
  #4  
-J-P-L-
Lexus Fanatic
 
-J-P-L-'s Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 7,864
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Yup. You become weightless in the new Altima.

People do complain of becoming more car sick though.
-J-P-L- is offline  
Old 04-17-13, 02:42 AM
  #5  
Whitigir
Lexus Test Driver
 
Whitigir's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Ohio
Posts: 838
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

I feel good in my RX seats. No need for weightless
Whitigir is offline  
Old 04-17-13, 05:56 AM
  #6  
Outrage
Lead Lap
 
Outrage's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I find the Altima's seats fairly comfortable for the category and price range of the vehicle.
Outrage is offline  
Old 04-17-13, 11:11 AM
  #7  
memasterac
Lexus Test Driver
 
memasterac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: CA, Bay Area
Posts: 1,499
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

The key word is "inspired" by NASA. so forget about the zero gravity...
memasterac is offline  
Old 04-17-13, 11:22 AM
  #8  
mmarshall
Lexus Fanatic
 
mmarshall's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Posts: 90,589
Received 83 Likes on 82 Posts
Default

As far as I'm concerned, these commercials are like the ones the same company (Nissan) used several years ago showing dogs driving their products. About the same level of mentality.
mmarshall is offline  
Old 04-17-13, 11:34 AM
  #9  
LexBob2
Lexus Champion
 
LexBob2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 10,992
Received 137 Likes on 111 Posts
Default

M a r k e t i n g......
LexBob2 is online now  
Old 04-17-13, 12:08 PM
  #10  
GRPFAN
Pole Position
Thread Starter
 
GRPFAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 396
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by memasterac
The key word is "inspired" by NASA. so forget about the zero gravity...
Best answer yet.............
GRPFAN is offline  
Old 04-17-13, 12:37 PM
  #11  
84Cressida
Lead Lap
 
84Cressida's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CA
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

It's marketing, but the seats themselves are actually very comfortable. They're only in the front seats though.
84Cressida is offline  
Old 04-18-13, 12:23 PM
  #12  
<VENOM>
Lexus Champion
 
<VENOM>'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYC/ATL
Posts: 2,618
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by GRPFAN
I watch a Nissan Altima commercial today and they advertise 0 % gravity seats inspired by NASA.

How do they work, or is this just hot air to sell a Nissan??

Cheers!
Designing seats to simulate an occupant in a weightless environment is intended to minimize the muscular loading of the occupant’s back, pelvis, and torso. This is accomplished by developing the seat’s shape and support system to put the occupant’s spine in its natural position.

The seatback shape and its patented structure provides varying levels of support in the lumbar, midback, and shoulder regions to position the occupant’s spine in its natural position. According to NASA seating and posture research, a seat design that correlates to low occupant fatigue is a design that mimics a body-neutral posture—essentially the relaxed position the human body assumes in a weightless environment.
<VENOM> is offline  
Old 04-18-13, 02:13 PM
  #13  
ST430
Pole Position
 
ST430's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 2,300
Received 120 Likes on 67 Posts
Default

It's based off of a massage chair zero gravity seating position concept:

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com...age-chair1.htm

"Zero-gravity massage chairs can assume the same position to help distribute a user's weight across the chair. The manufacturers claim that this relieves stress on the body and allows for a deeper, more intense massage experience. Some manufacturers claim that the reduction of stress on your body is so effective you'll feel virtually weightless as a result."
ST430 is offline  
Old 04-18-13, 08:55 PM
  #14  
MX5
Pole Position
 
MX5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: StL, MO
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

I'm sure part of it is Marketing BS, but I can see where NASA research could be utilized in seat design. FWIW when the redesigned Altima came out last summer, I test drove one, a midrange model (SV I think), and the front seats were great.
MX5 is offline  
Old 09-14-18, 07:30 AM
  #15  
Lexmex
Super Moderator
 
Lexmex's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Miami, Florida
Posts: 17,240
Received 161 Likes on 137 Posts
Default

Maybe stuffed with water like a waterbed.
Lexmex is offline  


Quick Reply: 0 % Gravity Seats?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:41 PM.