The 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Professional will get seats with built-in shock absorbers, however Toyota could also be creating one other variant of this concept.

A patent utility titled “Kinetic Seat Cushions For Automobiles” was filed by Toyota with america Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) on Feb. 2, 2023 and revealed on June 8. It describes seat cushions mounted on a subframe, permitting them to maneuver in response to forces performing on the seat.

Toyota kinetic seat patent picture

Based on the applying, the seat design is supposed to scale back fatigue by limiting the motion of the driving force’s physique. The pivoting movement of the seat meeting helps hold the driving force centered within the seat as a substitute of being thrown round by forces imparted by the automobile, corresponding to throughout cornering or when driving over uneven terrain.

This appears much like the design intent of the IsoDynamic Efficiency Seat that might be out there on the Tacoma TRD Professional. Toyota’s press supplies focus on decreasing fatigue and stabilizing the driving force’s visual view by permitting the seat to maneuver, with shock absorbers damping that motion so it would not switch to the occupant.

Toyota kinetic seat patent picture

Just like the IsoDynamic Efficiency Seat, the kinetic seat design proven within the utility has two shock absorbers on the seat again, together with two extra beneath the seat. This enables the seat to pivot or tilt as wanted. The quantity of motion may be adjusted by occupants by way of a automobile’s person interface.

With the IsoDynamic Efficiency Seat already headed for manufacturing within the 2024 Tacoma TRD Professional (will probably be unique to that off-road-focused grade), it could be stunning for Toyota to launch a second movable seat design. This patent utility might simply be an try to stop different automakers from implementing an analogous design in their very own automobiles.