Modular lightweight seating with synergy effect / Johnson Controls presents a lightweight and sustainable seating solution at the IAA in Frankfurt

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A new seating concept from Johnson Controls, one of the world's
leading suppliers of automotive interior systems, electronics and
batteries, will be presented for the first time in Europe at this
year's IAA in Frankfurt. The latest new development, called the
Synergy Seat, combines Johnson Controls' modular and lightweight
seating structure with its patented comfort shell technology,
environmentally-friendly foam and trim cover materials and active
head restraints - all of which creates significant synergy effects.
The result is an impressive seat that offers more flexibility,
comfort and safety yet weighs much less than before and is almost 100
percent recyclable.

As the direct interface between vehicle, driver and passengers,
the seating makes a significant contribution to the overall sense of
comfort. Yet seat engineers are constantly faced with conflicting
goals. They want to offer the highest possible degree of comfort, but
at the same time they have to work within the spatial confines of the
vehicle interior and help contribute to weight reduction in order to
reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This is in addition to the
market trend toward increasingly smaller vehicles, which are
nevertheless expected to be just as spacious, comfortable and safe as
vehicles in the higher segments. There is also a growing demand for
new material combinations in vehicle interiors. The new Synergy Seat
from Johnson Controls certainly addresses this need for advances in
various directions. The basis of the new concept is the modular and
lightweight seating structure of Johnson Controls.

Modular structure enables lightweight construction without
compromising comfort and safety The modular structure makes it
possible to achieve a weight saving of up to 30 percent compared to
conventional seating. It can be applied on a cross-platform,
cross-brand basis and can be adapted to various car body types and
vehicle weight limits with minimal effort and cost. In the process of
reducing vehicle weight, the modular system minimizes technical risks
and development time, while simultaneously ensuring, through
continuous improvement measures, that the quality of proven modular
components increases all the time.

In order to offer a superior degree of comfort at all times and
reduce the risk of whiplash injuries, the lightweight structure of
the Synergy Seat is combined with the latest generation of active,
slim-line "riACT" head restraints. The modular structure is
complemented by a space-saving comfort shell technology. Its slimline
design facilitates better space utilization, without making any
concessions to seating comfort. The centimeters saved in the process
can be used to provide more leg room in the rear of the vehicle or to
integrate other vehicle functions desired by the consumer.

Recyclable thanks to environmentally-friendly materials The active
contribution of the Synergy Seat to lightweight vehicle construction
is only one aspect of Johnson Controls' support for sustainable
automobiles. The use of environmentally-friendly materials is also a
conscious move in the same direction. For instance, innovative foams
based on bio-polyols are used in the padding of the Synergy Seat.
These are derived from renewable raw materials such as palm oil and
soybean oil rather than mineral oil. The combination of comfort
shells and such innovative foam materials offers superior seating
comfort.

In addition, the side and back panels of the Synergy Seat are made
out of recyclable polypropylene, and a new approach was also taken in
the choice of trim cover materials. The seat covers are based on
new-generation polyurethane, which makes them easy to clean and 68
percent lighter than leather. "As the market leader in seating
systems, we wanted our new development to help reduce both fuel
consumption and CO2 emissions. Furthermore, this combination of new
materials and innovative seating architecture opens up a host of new
possibilities," said Detlef Jürss, Vice President of Engineering
Seating, Interiors & Systems for Europe, Africa and South America.
The new seating concept will be available from model year 2012.

Digital photos are available at www.johnsoncontrols.co.uk/press .

Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings
ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By
integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart
environments that redefine the relationships between people and their
surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more
comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and
services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one
million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives
our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our
workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide
to customers. For additional information, please visit
http://www.johnsoncontrols.com..

Originaltext: Johnson Controls GmbH
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Further information is available from:
Johnson Controls GmbH
Automotive Experience
Industriestrasse 20-30
51399 Burscheid
Germany

Astrid Schafmeister
Tel.: +49 2174 65-3189
Fax: +49 2174 65-3219
E-mail: astrid.schafmeister@jci.com

Ina Longwitz
Tel.: +49 2174 65-4343
E-mail: ina.longwitz@jci.com