Think about how many times you get in and out of your car. During the time you own it, you slide in and out thousands of times. Car seats therefore have to be durable -- not only their material, but their mechanical parts and the way they are built. To answer that need, Ford created a mechanical “Robutt” to simulate 10 years of getting into and out of automobiles.
Based on an average-sized large man and a Ford Fiesta, the “Robutt” sits down and gets up 25,000 times, simulating 10 years of driving in just three weeks. The goal is to create seats that wear better and have long lifespans. Previously, the automakers used pneumatic cylinders for such testing.
The new test is currently being rolled out for all Fords in Europe.
