Comfortable seats that give all Fit passengers a pleasant ride

Honda Fit

Seats so comfortable you feel the difference
the moment you sit down

What type of seats did you set out to develop?

ShizunoWe kicked off the development project for the new Fit seats several years ago. We spent the first six months closely examining end users’ needs and the market, and features that were lacking in the previous model’s seats, as well as discussing the views and ideas held by our customer (Honda). We moved ahead with the project by combining our proposed concepts with our customer’s requirements. In the development of this brand-new seat frame, our aim was to create seats for a compact car that delivered ride comfort and design on par with what you would find in premium-segment models.

What features did you consider essential for the new Fit seats?

ShizunoWhat we focused on most for the new Fit seats was definitely comfort. To achieve a level that is on par with premium-segment models, we incorporated our next-generation seat frame. Designed to make seats safer, lighter, and more comfortable, this frame was developed by TS TECH with the purpose of using it in high-end models. The decision to use this frame in a compact car is indicative of the level of commitment toward the Fit.
One thing that is essential for superior ride comfort is how seats feel when passengers sit in them. The way a seat feels when a person first sits in it, or how well the person is supported after they have found a comfortable position—these factors are generally difficult to quantify. Yet we applied our expertise as seat manufacturers to assign values to each of these factors and identify the optimum seat shape to suit passengers’ various body types.
To ensure that the seats in the new Fit firmly support passengers’ bodies yet gently cradle them, the surface support structure in the seat comprises a suspension mat that uses a resin plate developed together with our customer, instead of the springs used in conventional seat structures. Unlike a spring structure that uses “lines” for support, the seatback and seat bottom are outfitted with suspension mats, “boards” that firmly support passengers from their spine down to their lumbar and pelvic regions (Fig. 1). The result is a seat that not only feels great to sit in, but also helps to maintain a posture that makes driving easier based on ergonomic principles, thereby preventing fatigue when driving long distances.

High-quality seats that are functional and
elegant yet cost competitive

There are so many seat variations available, and they all have a superb, high-quality finish.

ShizunoThe new Fit is available in five different trims to suit a range of lifestyles, but costs would quickly add up if different types of seats were developed for each trim. To get around this, we designed two primary seat specifications—fabric and genuine leather—and used a range of “universal” parts to generate different seat types, making it possible to efficiently produce a wide selection of seat variations. This approach not only keeps development costs down, it also allows for efficient production even when multiple types are required, which in turn reduces mass-production costs. Compact cars fall within a segment of the market with affordable pricing, so we were mindful not only of functionality but cost as well.

We also focused on delivering a premium finish, and we incorporated many internal features to achieve an aesthetically pleasing design. The genuine leather seats are an example of this. The thickness of leather is inherently uneven, so simply aligning stitching with the shape of the seat can cause the stitching to become loose or wrinkled. We utilized the wealth of expertise and knowhow gleaned over the years of seat manufacturing and avoided this through means such as applying a special process to the backside of the leather, or adjusting the firmness or thickness on the cushion side to create uniformity.

What difficulties did you encounter during this project?

HiganoTypically we finalize all the specifications before creating a mold for mass production of seats, but we took a different approach this time with the new Fit. The reason for this was that the customer was very focused on boosting seat quality, even though it was already time to finalize all the specifications. There was a match between the way our customer does not want to make compromises and our commitment to wanting to deliver the best product possible. Yet creating the production mold after every last detail was finalized would cause mass production to be delayed. Instead, we applied a method that was used for the first time at TS TECH: separating the various production processes and beginning mass-production preparations for sections that had already been finalized, while continuing to review designs until the last possible moment for specifications that had not yet been finalized.

ShizunoThis method of proceeding made managing the process more complex, but many staff members, even those who were not project members, across a range of departments supported us along the way.
The project also posed a challenge for those at the Suzuka Plant, which was in charge of mass-production, through issues such as the variety of specifications we had never dealt with before and the incorporation of the next-generation frame for the first time. Fortunately, many of my colleagues and superiors from when I was at Suzuka provided help along the way, and I think the project demonstrated the strength of our teamwork in the face of tough conditions.
Despite development tools and equipment becoming increasingly digitalized and more high tech, any vital teamwork still needs to be done like in the old days (laughing).

HiganoThis was the first time I served as Design PL, and I felt that there were many situations where I lacked the necessary expertise. Every time I felt stuck, Mr. Shizuno and my other colleagues provided their support and we were able to advance to the next process. I am truly grateful for their help. I am especially proud of the new Fit seats as they were created through the collective efforts of so many project members. I would love to have everyone sit in the seats and experience for themselves just how comfortable they are.