The U.S. Patent Office received a patent application from Honda earlier this week for an innovative car seat design meant to absorb shocks both during traffic collisions and in everyday driving.
The manufacturer argues that no stock suspension system is capable to eliminate 100% of jolts and bumps from driving on uneven roads and surfaces. As a result, even high-end suspension solutions still cause discomfort to passengers sometimes. Equipping every seat inside the car with its own damping system can fix that.
The application points out that sharp impacts exert excess pressure on elbow and knee joints, the tibia and the spine. It admits that further research is required to figure out how well seats with built-in suspension can address this issue in real-world use scenarios.
Patent applications in general do not imply that the technology being patented will reach the mass market soon, or at all. Honda has not commented on its invention so far.