New Open Seating Product from Johnson Controls Brings Innovation, Comfort To Vehicle Rear Compartments

Unique Fold-Flat Product Stows Away with Ease and Increases Comfort, Cargo Space, and Utility

DETROIT, Jan. 4 -- When it comes to innovation in automotive seating, interior supplier Johnson Controls is at the forefront. Reflecting the company's commitment to innovation, Johnson Controls is introducing its Open Seating(TM) product this week at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It's being displayed at the company's product and technology exhibit in room D2-15 of Cobo Center.

The Open Seating complete seat system brings real innovation and a new level of comfort and utility to the second- and third-row seats of cars, trucks and minivans. When deployed, the product offers the comfort and styling of industry-leading front-row seats for rear compartments of vehicles. When stowed away, it has a much smaller footprint, enhancing a vehicle's cargo capacity.

This first-of-its-kind seating product features side bolsters that provide comfort similar to the front row when the seat is deployed, and fold completely flat when the seat is stowed. Open Seating deploys or stows away with ease in one fluid motion to create a true zero-degree, fold-flat load floor, opening up "best-in-class" cargo room. When stowed, the seat is just 135 millimeters thick. It dramatically can increase second- and third-row cargo space in sport-utility trucks, crossover vehicles, minivans and pickup trucks. The product is available for integration into 2007 model-year vehicles.

One of the keys to the Open Seating product is the WingBack(TM) contour presentation technology, which enables the seat to provide contour and lateral support when the seat is deployed. The technology delivers a seat that is comfortable, thin and well-styled. Traditionally, it has been difficult to deliver a true, fold-flat seat without compromised comfort and design, and Open Seating enables this. It provides an improved distribution of back pressure for enhanced comfort, as well as increased lateral support comparable to front-row bucket seats. The technology can be included on all vehicle segments, and all rows with folding seat backs. It also enables a vehicle's styling theme and trim outline to be carried from the front row to the second- and third-row areas.

"We're very excited about our Open Seating product, which is unique for a folding or stowable seat and a first for the industry," said John Gorton, vice president and general manager, product and business development for the Automotive Group of Johnson Controls. "Consumers want more versatility and functionality from the rear areas of their vehicle cabins, and this product provides such traits in a very innovative way."

Consumers no longer need to remove third-row seats to gain additional cargo capacity. Instead of removing the seats, they can be folded flat. And Open Seating is designed to be user-friendly, because it can be operated easily from either a vehicle's second-row or tailgate areas.

For automakers, the Open Seating product is simple to integrate into a vehicle body. No body-in-white changes are required, aside from mounting locations and belt attachment.

The WingBack technology was jointly developed by Johnson Controls and Schukra/Leggett & Platt, a leading lumbar and seating comfort technology firm based in Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada.

Johnson Controls is a global market leader in automotive systems and facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major supplier of integrated seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non- residential facilities, Johnson Controls provides control systems and services, including comfort, energy and security management. Johnson Controls , founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (U.S.A.).