Innovative VibraTech Foam From Johnson Controls

Material Used in Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle Seats Today Will Be Featured in Another Model in the Near-Future

DETROIT, Jan. 10 -- In their ongoing quest to enhance the driving experience, chemists and engineers at Johnson Controls have developed a new, highly durable type of foam pad for vehicle seating that improves occupant comfort.

The company's VibraTech(TM) Foam product is a materially enhanced foam that provides superior performance characteristics when compared to current vehicle seating. The advanced, vibration-dampening foam offers major improvements in comfort, durability and craftsmanship. Research studies conducted by Johnson Controls showed that this durable foam material contributes to enhanced relaxation, less occupant fatigue and better overall support for drivers and passengers. In addition, thinner-profile seating can be created using VibraTech Foam, offering the same or better comfort vs. current seats while freeing up valuable space inside a vehicle's cabin.

VibraTech Foam offers many benefits for automakers. Typically, it provides a significant 40 percent improvement in road vibration absorption; a 15 percent increase in long-term durability; and less appearance degradation over time when compared to current foam seat pads. Also, VibraTech Foam pads are suitable for use in all front and rear vehicle seats. To achieve maximum benefits, the material's properties are tailored for each vehicle program by small adjustments in the foam's formulation. Such an approach yields foam pads that best complement a total vehicle ride and suspension performance.

The VibraTech Foam product currently is used in seats manufactured for Lexus RX330 sport-utility vehicles (SUVs). Another automaker will include VibraTech foam in a 2007 model-year vehicle. With the 2007 application, engineers were able to achieve a marked improvement in the vehicle ride performance while reducing the overall vehicle costs. As a result, the use of VibraTech Foam was a more cost-effective method to absorb unwanted vibration, as compared with the alternative -- vehicle suspension dampers.

"Our VibraTech Foam product is unique to the industry and offers outstanding benefits for consumers and automotive manufacturers alike," said Paul Lambert, group vice president and general manager, Seating -- North America for Johnson Controls. "When tailored to a vehicle's ride characteristics, it improves the overall ride comfort for the driver and passengers and enhances their traveling experience."

In comfort testing conducted by Johnson Controls, the 2005 Lexus RX330 seats delivered enhanced occupant comfort, better pressure distribution values and reduced overall road vibration effects than models from other automakers. Other testing showed it subjectively improves comfort by more than 10 percent over the length of time a driver is on the road. The RX330 seats with VibraTech Foam also achieved improved comfort ratings in J.D. Power and Associates surveys vs. earlier model-year versions of the Lexus RX300 SUV.