Apple: soon a smart car seat to alert the driver in case of danger?

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has just granted Apple a patent describing a smart car seat. A seat that could alert the driver in the event of a potentially dangerous situation  via haptic effects. He would even be able to modify his form to protect the person if he detects a risk of accident.

After the iPhone, TV, watches or even the connected speaker, it seems that Apple is still working on a vehicle bearing its emblem. Thus, Ming-Chi Kuo, a renowned analyst, asserted with certainty lately that an Apple Car is planned for the horizon 2023. In the meantime, the apple brand has actually just been granted a patent concerning the universe of the ‘automobile  by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Entitled “Haptic feedback for a dynamic seating system”, this patent filed in September 2016 describes an intelligent seat  that could both adapt to the morphology comfort and safety preferences. In the event of danger, he could effectively automatically control the tension of the seat belt and adjust the inclination of the seats to increase protection, for example.

To attract the driver’s attention, the seat would also be able to vibrate or change the inclination of the seat, when, for example, the vehicle inadvertently leaves its lane or is drowsy. Apple engineers preferred this method to audible or visual alarms, which, it is true, can worsen the situation in the event of problems.

Furthermore, depending on the driving mode, in particular the so-called “sport” settings of current cars, the seats could modify their settings in order to position the passenger more securely, while increasing the tension of the seat belt. It could be the same when the vehicle’s sensors and the on-board computer detect a dangerous driving situation (rain, slippery ground, loss of grip, squalls…). The idea of ​​Apple teams is to ensure that this seat anticipates a dangerous situation by reacting before impact, unlike the current airbags or seat belt pretensioners, which do not activate until after the collision.

Apple crunches in the automobile

This patent is far from the only one that Apple has filed with the USPTO concerning the automobile. In July, the brand had registered a patent describing an autonomous driving system , adapting to the usual driving styles of passengers and also to their needs. In August, she filed a file concerning a process allowing to warn vehicles and people close to the intentions of the vehicle.

As early as 2015, there were indications that Apple was already working on the creation of a car or van with its logo. Since then the name of a project called Project Titan has circulated. In June 2017, Tim Cook admitted that Apple wanted to focus on autonomous driving systems. The brand has even tested its technology on the road with around fifty vehicles. Apple’s ambitions in the field seem to be amplified with the hiring of personnel from the automotive industry and even sizes from Tesla. An index that did not leave indifferent Elon Musk, the boss of the brand of electric vehicles.