The Advantages of Crash Safe Automotive Swivel Seats over Local Customizations

posted on - 2023-03-04

Introduction: The need for Crash-Safe Automotive Swivel Seats

Automotive swivel seats are an essential innovation for individuals with mobility impairments. These seats make it easier for them to enter and exit the car, which greatly improves their quality of life. However, installing swivel seats is not a simple matter of attaching a new seat to the car’s floor.

Why Roadside Customization Work is Not Recommended

Local mechanics may offer customization work to install swivel seats, but there are numerous safety concerns that must be addressed in the process. In this article, we will examine why crash safe automotive swivel seats are superior to any road-side customization work done by a local mechanic. We will also explore how Caruna Seatings, a leading automotive seating manufacturer in India, has used FEM and FEA to design swivel seats that are safer than their competitors.

The Importance of Crash Safety in Automotive Swivel Seats

Firstly, let’s consider the safety concerns associated with installing swivel seats. When a car is involved in an accident, the occupants are subjected to a variety of forces, including acceleration, deceleration, and lateral forces. In a crash, the occupants must be protected from these forces to prevent serious injury or death. However, if a swivel seat is not installed correctly, it can become a projectile in the car and cause even more harm to the occupants. Therefore, it is critical that swivel seats are installed correctly and that they are designed to withstand the forces of a crash.

Design of any automotive seating structure based on anthropometry of Indian sizes

One of the key reasons why crash safe automotive swivel seats are better than any road-side customization work done by a local mechanic is that they are designed and tested to meet specific safety standards. In India, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have developed safety standards for automotive seats. These standards specify requirements for seat strength, durability, and the ability to withstand forces in a crash. When a manufacturer designs a swivel seat, they must ensure that it meets these safety standards before it can be sold in India.

FEM and FEA: The Technologies behind Caruna Seatings’ Success

In addition to meeting safety standards, Caruna Seatings has used Finite Element Method (FEM) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to design swivel seats that are safer than their competitors. FEM and FEA are computerized methods used to simulate and analyze the performance of products under various conditions. In automotive design, FEM and FEA can be used to simulate the forces of a crash and determine how a product will perform under these conditions. Caruna Seatings has used FEM and FEA to analyze the forces that a swivel seat will experience in a crash and to design a seat that can withstand these forces.

Crash test standards over a bucket seat

A very simple Finite element analysis of the displacement of an aluminium block that holds 130 kgs

One of the critical factors that Caruna Seatings has considered in their swivel seat design is the distribution of crash forces onto the seat structure. In a crash, the forces are distributed throughout the car, and the swivel seat must be able to absorb these forces and protect the occupant. Caruna Seatings has designed their swivel seat to distribute the crash forces across the seat structure, which ensures that the occupant is protected from harm.

Collaborating with Top OEMs for Better Safety Standards

Furthermore, Caruna Seatings has collaborated with a top Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to ensure that their swivel seats meet the high standards required by the automotive industry. This collaboration has allowed Caruna Seatings to incorporate the latest technologies and materials into their swivel seat design, which has resulted in a seat that is safer than its competitors.

It is worth noting that Caruna Seatings’ commitment to safety extends beyond their swivel seats. The company has also tested their additional wheelchair device that can be docked onto the swivel seat mechanism to bring the patient out of the car and provide that last mile connectivity from car to home. This device has been tested to extreme drop and rough road, park tests with heavy loads of up to 130 kgs.

It is important to note that these automotive accessories are designed based on the 95th percentile male and 5th percentile female Indian population. Undersized patients and children should not be seated onto these automotive accessories without consultation with the manufacturer. Additional accessories may be required for children to ensure their safety.