2018 LEXUS LS TAKUMI CRAFTSMANSHIP stories. Chapter 4: Seat design

Imagine taking your seat in a car for a journey and arriving at your destination more physically and mentally relaxed than when you set out. That is exactly what the designers of the new Lexus LS luxury sedan have aimed to achieve. They have embraced the qualities of both Takumi craftsmanship and Omotenashi, the finest traditions of Japanese hospitality, to produce the most comfortable and adaptable seats yet fitted to a Lexus car.

In the spirit of Omotenashi, Lexus required that people travelling in the LS should enjoy the best possible comfort and convenience.

This called for a new seat design that allows the finest level of adjustment in 28 different ways, ensuring everyone can find their ideal position.

The 28-way power adjustable front seat surpasses the adjustability of any other vehicle while also fitting to all body types, physiques and preferences. The side supports provide excellent holding ability, the cushion stabilizes the pelvis and posture, and shoulder supports contribute to excellent steering feel, providing a new value of driving and ride comfort.

Seats with massage functions have been available for a while, but Lexus sought to make this function more effective than ever before by consulting expert Japanese Shiatsu masseurs on how much pressure should be applied, to which parts of the occupant’s body, and in which order.

Using these insights, air bladders have been integrated into the seatbacks and cushions to apply pressure to the passenger’s back and lower hip area to promote both physical and emotional relaxation.

Such has been the level of detail and care invested in this project, passengers can choose from no fewer than seven different massage programmes, each progressing through a 15-minute cycle.

A warming function integrated in the rear seat is a world’s first - with the two dedicated heaters—located in the shoulder and lower back parts of the seat—warm these specific areas without warming a person’s entire body.

The result is an unprecedented opportunity to make travelling by car an exceptionally relaxing experience.