April 4, 2016 – Aircraft interior tie-ups with automotive design houses are nothing new, with BMW Designworks and Porsche Design having enjoyed work with airlines. The latest car design partnership is Peugeot Design Lab, a global brand design studio, which has been brought on board by Expliseat, a French manufacturer of ultra-light aircraft seats. Peugeot Design Lab has coordinated a team of automobile experts to create the Titanium Seat NEO, which will be unveiled on April 5 at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.
In 2013, Expliseat developed the lightest aircraft seats for passengers on the market (4kg), made of titanium and carbon. Since 2014, this seat has been used for economy class seats in Airbus A320s and ATRs for various airlines.
“To create the Titanium Seat NEO, we were looking for a partner capable of designing a comfortable and light seat, with a design which embodies our move upmarket and supports our technology. After a year of market research, Peugeot Design Lab’s expertise convinced us”, stated Benjamin Saada, CEO of Expliseat.
Below: Ergonomists, upholsterers, color and material designers, modelers and manufacturing specialists have created a model of the seat for the Expo
“This project led by Expliseat represents the opportunity to combine the best practices of two industrial worlds. The technical expertise of aeronautical engineers, conveyed through an ultra-light aircraft seat, made of titanium and carbon, and the expertise of automobile ergonomists and upholsterers have enabled us to design a product that neither of us could have created alone”, explained Cathal Loughnane, manager of Peugeot Design Lab.
According to the design partnership, the Titanium Seat NEO contributes to the wellbeing of passengers, due to having individual spaces instead of a bench seat, lateral lower-back, pelvis and thigh support, foam seating, large tray-tables with touch-screen tablet media support, and ‘giant’ storage pouches.
