Johnson Controls' Slim Stow Seat Increases Cargo Space and Offers Improved Seating Comfort

BURSCHEID, Germany, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- New Foldable Rear Seat for Pickup Trucks Introduced

Johnson Controls, a global leader in automotive seating, overhead systems, door and instrument panels, and interior electronics, introduced a new design for second row seats in pickup trucks. When stowed, the Slim Stow Seat takes up 33 percent less space, maximizes seating comfort and is lighter weight compared to traditional rear truck seats. It also improves visibility for the driver.

"Our Slim Stow Seat enables us to set new standards in foldable rear seats in pickups," said Dr. Andreas Eppinger, Vice President Technology Management at Johnson Controls Automotive Experience. "It surpasses previous seating concepts in terms of comfort, cargo space and appearance. It also improves visibility when stowed since the seat back is lowered 100 millimeters."

Side-bolsters integrate the passenger in the seat

The seat panel consists of two components. The upper part, a tubular frame design, features the child seat attachment points and defined side-bolsters. Through this unique design, the Slim Stow Seat also provides lateral support and contour that is usually found exclusively in front-row pickup truck seating.

The lower part of the seat features a stable arm. It carries the seat pad, which features 50 percent more foam than usual in the relevant areas. "This, together with the side-bolsters, ensures superior comfort while fulfilling safety requirements," explained Eppinger. "Even with the bolsters and padding, the seat's movement enables space-saving stowage."

Easy handling and optimized visibility due to downward-sliding backrest

- The Slim Stow Seat deploys and stows using an intuitive, one-hand operation, making it easy to reconfigure the interior space from outside the vehicle.

- The seat stows behind the truck's rear panel wall maximizing cargo space while providing an unprecedented, clean appearance.

- By pushing the seatback rearward, the kinematics shift it downward by approximately 100 millimeters (3.9 inches) to increase visibility and safety.

Seat sets new standards

During a series of in-house benchmark tests, the Technology & Advanced Development Group compared the Slim Stow Seat with the rear seats of four of the most popular pickup trucks. "The Slim Stow Seat sets new standards in all categories tested, which included cargo capacity, user friendliness, seating comfort, material compression and ease of assembly," said Eppinger. Further advantages include weight savings, enabled by a 30 percent reduction in the usage of materials.

Digital images are available online from http://www.johnsoncontrols.co.uk/press.

Picture is available via epa european pressphoto agency and can be downloaded free of charge at: http://www.presseportal.de/pm/19526/?keygroup=bild

About Johnson Controls:

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in over 150 countries. Our 142,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful.

About Johnson Controls Automotive Experience

Johnson Controls is a global leader in automotive seating, overhead systems, door and instrument panels, and interior electronics. We support all major automakers in the differentiation of their vehicles through our products, technologies and advanced manufacturing capabilities. With 200 locations worldwide, we are where our customers need us to be. Consumers have enjoyed the comfort and style of our products, from single components to complete interiors. With our global capability we supply more than 30 million cars per year.

Please contact us if you would like more information:

    
    Johnson Controls GmbH
    Automotive Experience
    Industriestrasse 20-30
    51399 Burscheid
    Germany

    Ulrich Andree
    Tel.: +49(0)2174-65-4343
    Fax: +49(0)2174-65-3219
    E-mail: ulrich.andree@jci.com