Automotive Engineering - August 2024 - 28

MAGNA SAYS
some hurdles of
seat-reconfiguration
system to be addressed
by OEMs
The front row of Magna's new
seating system can power-rotate
up to 270 degrees, meaning they
can fully face the second row.
The Chinese OEM that bought the
system will restrict that to when
the vehicle is parked.
Some challenges, such as reworking airbags to meet all seating scenarios, will be
solved by the OEM as the final system integrator.
by Chris Clonts
R
earward-facing front seats have generally been limited to
concept cars that explore a far-away world in which SAE
Level 5 autonomous driving has been perfected. Magna has
rewritten that playbook, winning a contract with a Chinese
OEM for a reconfigurable seating system that includes fully rotating
front seats on long rails, creating an unusually flexible cabin.
Currently configured for vehicles with two rows of seating, the
system features power-swivel seats along rails or tracks nearly two
meters (6.6 ft) long. The front passenger and driver seats can rotate
270 degrees.
SAE Media asked Kai Zhao, Magna's senior director of engineering,
about issues around power routing, safety, and who ultimately decides
how the seating system would be used in production vehicles.
On the intriguing possibility of having the
front row face rearward for fully autonomous
driving, Zhao said that the OEM determines
the parameters for various seating positions.
" In partnership with the OEM, Magna can design
structurally sound seats facing either direction, "
he said, " In the case of the vehicle
launching in China, our reconfigurable seating
system allows rearward facing only when the
vehicle is parked, enhancing flexibility and
comfort for stationary use. "
It's not just the seats: passengers can also
configure the center console, which shares the
28 August 2024
rail attachment/adjustment system.
The seats have integrated safety belts designed to
better cope with the strength and adjustment requirements
in complex scenarios. So the seatbacks
are likely stronger than standard auto seating since
the seat belts aren't anchored to a pillar or the ceiling.
Zhao said that, as with the orientation of the
seats, " the integration and functionality of airbags
and other safety systems are controlled by the OEM,
who must consider all aspects of the vehicle's interior
configuration and packaging. "
Magna says the seatbacks have a universal mag " The
seats aren't
the only things that
can be reconfigured:
the center console
also shares the
rail attachment/
adjustment system. "
netic interface that allows for different external devices,
such as tablet computers
or media players.
Despite the range of motion
in a seat with so much potential
rotation and a long track, Zhao
said exotic power and data connections,
such as inductive power,
were unnecessary. " The magnetic
power outlets integrated
into the seat backs connect to a
[traditional] wiring harness
within the seat structure, ensuring
reliable power delivery to
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
MAGNA
Automotive Engineering - August 2024

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