Q&A

Comfort Motion Global (CMG) engineers have developed and refined a “proactive” Motion Seating software technology throughout the past 15 years that improves blood flow and reduces occupant fatigue through automated, micro-adjustments (1° or less) of the driver and passenger seats. Studies conducted with researchers at Ball State University for passenger vehicles showed an increase in driver alertness. Reaction times improved by 200 milliseconds between the static seat and the motion seat, which translates to about 17 to 20 feet of stopping distance, according to Dr. Paul Phipps, an Indianapolis-based chiropractor who developed the customizable algorithm.

The proprietary technology recently launched on a range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and now CMG has its sights set on the commercial trucking industry - a logical next step since truck drivers are on the road for extended periods of time. The company is working with several commercial-vehicle suppliers and fleet owners to make the transition happen, said Phipps. The software is programmable into any memory seat and can also actuate other systems such as lumbar support, bolsters, heating and cooling, and existing massage functions. Automated adjustments can redistribute about 15% of the occupant's weight in 30 minutes, continuously transferring compressive and shear stresses to new and different tissues, Phipps explained during a recent interview.