Adient is the company behind the Recaro brand and a worldwide market leader in the production of car seats . At the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, the company presented several new concepts that reduce the weight of seats. The aim is to make the standard seat that is used today around 22 American pounds (about 10 kg) lighter by 2020. The crucial factor here is the use of several new materials.

For example, the company unveiled a seat with a cast magnesium frame at the trade fair. This material is about 75% lighter than steel and 33% lighter than aluminum. A plastic seat reinforced with glass fiber is also on show at the company’s stand. The materials used should bring about a weight reduction of up to 30%. Adient also has new developments on offer for the rear seat. The company presented a new design which is adjustable forwards and backwards and, thanks to the use of aluminum and high-tensile steel, is around 7 kg lighter than comparable models.

Besides new materials, Adient is experimenting with the shape of the seats. A new, particularly slimline design covered with a thin layer of special IntelliTech foam will enable up to 40% lower weight than traditional seats.