SIT BACK

Interface between human
and vehicle.

When it comes to the necessity of sitting down to drive from A to B, little has changed since the automobile was invented. However, the seat behind the steering wheel has a different status nowadays. In fact, it is no longer just a seat but a Human Machine Interface: a key factor in maximizing comfort for those on board, one that plays an active role in keeping the driver and passengers fresh during the journey. From 4-way lumbar support to head restraints that can be electrically adjusted both horizontally and vertically, those traveling in the new S-Class will want for nothing.

Indeed, once you’ve sampled the delights of the ENERGIZING massage function and climatised seat, you’ll never want to get out.

Stars behind
the scenes.

The position, length, height and angle of the seat, even the depth of the seat cushion, the height of the head restraints and the 4-way lumbar support, can be adjusted electrically as standard. But the really spectacular things takes place within the side bolsters: the optionally available dynamic variant

of the multicontour seat inflates the bolsters individually – and in a matter of seconds – in response to the car’s steering movement, to provide even better lateral support for the driver and front passenger.

High-tech in layers.

Comfort and lightweight design shared center stage in the development process for the new front seats. Their structure weighs under 20 kilograms (44 lb) – around 20 percent less than a conventional design – thanks, among other factors, to a sandwich construction based around steel shells with integrated plastic inlays.

Climatised seats.

At the touch of a button, four electric fans in the seat surface and two in the backrest suck cooler ambient air onto the seat’s perforated leather surface.

After four minutes, the fans automatically invert their direction of rotation to prevent drafts over longer journeys. The fans’ intensity can be adjusted through three stages.

ENERGIZING massage function.

The ENERGIZING massage function of the seats is a world's first, using the hot stone principle to deliver active relaxation. Six programs are available, two of them heat-assisted. Each program separately controls the 14 air chambers in each seat, some of which benefit from quick-responding seat heating. Heat and pressure are used to simulate the effect of traditionally applied hot stones, massaging and mobilizing the shoulder area, back and hips. The engineers also had something of a brainwave when it came to operating the ENERGIZING massage function. The central, 12.3-inch display of the COMAND Online infotainment system shows the individual massage zones in the seats. In addition, a rotary knob graphic appears on the screen displaying the desired program as a number. The menu for the seat functions can be called up directly using a button on the center console.