Jaguar develops car seat that simulates walking

It sounds like a home shopping network product; a car seat that fools your body into thinking you’re exercising while you sit on your tush driving.

But Jaguar Land Rover is quite serious about its ‘shape-shifting’ seating system that's designed to tackle the health risks associated with sitting down too long.

The ‘morphable’ seat, being trialled by JLR’s Body Interiors Research division, uses a series of actuators in the seat foam to create constant micro-adjustments that make your brain think you’re walking.

Unlike normal massage seats in cars which that can be a godsend if you have back problems but are otherwise gratuitous, JLR’s shape-shifting seat provides clinical manipulation to your hips that simulates the rhythm of walking, known as pelvic oscillation.

While the technology won’t magically improve your fitness, the researchers believe it will it will help mitigate the health risks associated with sitting down for too long on extended journeys, including the shortening of muscles in the legs, gluteals and hips that can ultimately lead to back pain and an increased risk of injury from falls or strains.

JLR insists the seats, which can be tailored to suit different users, won’t hinder comfort and can easily be incorporated into seats that currently incorporate power adjustments and massage functions.

This research is the latest by JLR to improve driver well-being, which has previously looked at reducing the effects of motion sickness and the implementation of ultraviolet light technology to stop the spread of colds and flu.