Trend-setting and Trend-spotting

Johnson Controls develops new systems to address consumer demand

Vehicles featuring three rows of seats are becoming increasing popular with consumers. But getting in and out of the back row quickly and easily can sometimes be challenging for passengers.
The two key concerns consumers have expressed with third-row seats:

They can be challenging to access, especially when hands are occupied carrying children or groceries.
They want to be able to fold down the third row for added cargo space—but without sacrificing seat comfort.

Addressing the Trend

To enhance third-row seat comfort and convenience, Johnson Controls developed two innovative seat solutions, which currently can be found in the GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook from General Motors:

“Smart Slide” seating. In collaboration with General Motors, engineers at Johnson Controls developed the GM Smart Slide second-row seating system to achieve the lowest possible effort for easy, single-hand operation, while delivering significantly improved ingress/egress space. The seat can be moved easily by pivoting the second-row seat cushion up and forward, while sliding the seat back forward toward the front seats. An additional benefit of Smart Slide is the four inches of fore-aft travel offered for the second-row seats. This helps accommodate passengers with long legs seated in either the second or third row, or provide increased storage space.

Third-row seats featuring Johnson Controls’ Open Seating™ technology. When the third row of seats is deployed, Open Seating offers comfort and styling similar to front- or second-row seats. When the third-row seat is stowed, a significant amount of cargo-storage capacity is gained. What’s more, Open Seating seats have comfort-enhancing side bolsters that fold completely flat when the seat is stowed. The seats deploy or stow away easily with one fluid motion, to create a zero-degree, fold-flat load floor, creating best-in-class cargo room.
“Consumers expect comfort no matter where they’re sitting in a vehicle, and Open Seating helps to satisfy this important expectation, while not compromising the needs for cargo space,” says Jeff Williams, group vice president and general manager of the Johnson Controls automotive experience business in North America.