Sitting in your car in winter, after a long night parked (even if it’s in the garage), is not exactly a warm welcome. The heated seats They came back in the 70s to solve it. It is not essential in a car, but it is greatly appreciated in the coldest months of the year.
¿Y What is the magic that makes a seat warm your back, buttocks and legs?? The same as that of an electric stove, but embedded under the upholstery of the seat. Although it has some crumb.
Like an electric blanket, but in your car seat
Los heated seats They are quite common today: we already find them in non-premium cars, either as an extra or included in their most complete finishes. Already in 2010, a third of the cars circulating in the US are equipped with them. Their main advantage is that they heat the occupant’s body faster and more effectively than the car’s air conditioning, thus being more efficient.
This is how heated seats work. Broadly speaking, the heated seats are equipped with a resistance inside: when activated, heats the seat by electric current by converting it into heatwhich in turn is transferred directly to the occupant. Its principle is the same as that of an electric blanket or a portable heater, for example.
This heating system goes placed between the foam padding of the seat (to which it is attached) and the car upholstery. It is a felt pad where several cables, or threads, are placed that transmit said heat.
These can be made of various types of materials: stainless steel, steel with nickel, zinc, copper or other types of conductive elements. Also carbon fiber. Its arrangement also varies by weaving of strips (sewn in a meander shape), with parallel heating elements, with pressure printing…
Source: IGB Automotive
But besides this wired felt pad, the other key elements of this system are the controller and a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor. The thermistor monitors the seat temperature and sends it to the controller, which regulates the temperature. This prevents it from being too high, protecting the circuit itself and the occupant from getting burned.
This, broadly speaking, is how this blessed system operates, making the seats much more comfortable when the cold hits. Whether it is more or less expensive depends on the quality of the materials or whether it allows the temperature to be adjusted. Normally, those equipped by brands in their cars can be adjusted with several positions to increase or decrease the temperature.
Improving comfort behind the wheel, but always in moderation. Beyond making a cold seat much more comfortable, This technology also has other advantages. For example, don’t be tempted to drive with your coat on, which is not recommended as it slows down your movements and you can even be fined if you cause an accident.
But it is also beneficial for people who suffer from lower back pain, by mitigating immobility during long hours of travel. And it acts as a pain reliever like an electric blanket does.
However, it is recommended not to abuse this system, especially in the case of people with cardiovascular problems. Additionally, it is essential that you have a heat control system and that it is properly adjusted or it can cause burns in people who have sensory deficits in the lower extremities. It is not usual, but as it is not defined as a standard As such there have been cases.
Source: www.motorpasion.com
