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Spider-seat, spider-seat, eats whatever a spider eats...
Sorry, couldn't resist a quick Spider-Man gag now that Lexus is about to start using seats that use spider silk as a flexible way to help keep your head steady. Sort of.
Actually Lexus' Kinetic Seat concept, which will be shown in Paris, doesn't use real spider silk, but an artificial version based on protein mix made in a lab
This silk forms a web who supports the cushions of the seats. Instead of the conventional wisdom of a bucket seat which holds you rigidly in place, the Kinetic Seat uses the elasticity of this silk webbing to allow the seat back and cushion to move in harmony with your spine and upper chest. Those movements are designed to follow the sort of natural movements which you use to keep your head steady when walking or running.
The idea is two-fold - a natural movement allows your body to act as a natural shock-absorber, reducing and filtering out the movements of the car before they reach your head. That should, theoretically, allow you to keep your head steadier and keep a sharper eye on the road ahead. Secondly, the movement is supposed to help keep the load of your body's weight spread out better, improving comfort and reducing tiredness on a longer journey.
There's no official on-sale date for this yet but expect the Kinetic Seat to make a production debut in the next-generation LS limo.