Automobile Seats and Their Role as an Adjunct to Restraint Systems

This paper charts the importance of automobile seats and their relationship to auto restraint systems. Past research is cited, drawn from Stapp Car Conference proceedings, along with information from government documents, as well as personal experience derived from consulting practice pertaining to crash histories.

Problem areas are outlined in this symbiotic relationship of auto seats and seat belts and solutions are advanced to correct the problems noted. These recommendations stipulate a much stronger anchorage of seats to the auto floor, beefing up seat adjusting mechanisms and a redesign of the emergency locking retractors to eliminate occasional failure with current U.S. models.