Faurecia’s Zero-Gravity Captain Chair: advanced well-being tailored for the Chinese market
To create the Zero-Gravity Captain Chair, Faurecia’s team in China combined its on-the-ground understanding of local consumer expectations with our advanced seating and well-being expertise. Faurecia’s Captain Chair can be set to a position known as Zero Gravity, which reclines the seat to an angle that’s almost completely flat. It’s a position that was developed by NASA after observing its astronauts in microgravity conditions.
As opposed to a regular reclining chair, where the occupant’s legs point down while the torso leans back, this zero-gravity chair elevates the legs above the height of the heart. This position distributes weight more evenly across the body, reducing stress on the joints caused by the effects of gravity.
The zero-gravity position also reduces pressure on the spine, working to alleviate back pain and symptoms of sciatica while increasing blood circulation from the heart to the extremities. An automatic, extending footrest completes the position, so the occupant’s entire body is supported, in a posture that can be enjoyed when the vehicle is stationary.
.png)
In addition to achieving this position, Faurecia’s Zero-Gravity Captain Chair incorporates our latest high-tech comfort solutions, such as an inflatable neck pillow and a headrest that automatically adjusts to its occupant’s height. As well as lower-back support and massage functions with pressure mapping to enhance relaxation, Faurecia’s Captain Chair includes a new, immersive haptic solution called VIBE, where tactile sensations are created by the car seat, stimulating the user’s sense of touch. When activated, digital 4D sound algorithms automatically create vibrations that accompany any sound played on the vehicle’s audio system.
Faurecia’s Zero-Gravity Captain Chair also offers a six-inch touchscreen display that allows occupants to select posture controls, massage, and illumination settings, as well as control media, whether that’s to play a video on the touchscreen or listen to music through the headrest, which has been designed to provide premium sound processing and diffusion. It also offers additional comfort with sensors able to identify potential physical pain and then activate corrective actions to alleviate any discomfort. Other unique features include gentle floor-level LED illumination and the use of ultra-premium Hycoflex foam, which acts like memory foam on a mattress.
All these innovations were engineered with the Chinese premium customer in mind. Through the great work of our China team, with the support of Faurecia’s R&D teams around the world, we’ve combined our insights into the local market with our industry-leading seating expertise to create the ultimate in passenger comfort and well-being. It’s a perfect example of our ability to understand and respond to customer trends around the world, creating technologies that elevate the in-car experience to new levels.