First used to ensure that the materials used in Ford’s car seats could withstand a decade’s regular dry wear and tear, engineers have now adapted ‘Robutt’ to simulate the impact of sweaty car users.
“Cars are part of our everyday lives, and at this time of year in particular, so is exercise,” said Florian Rohwer, development engineer, Body and Chassis Labs, Ford of Europe. “The Robutt is a great way to check our seats will look good for years to come.”
For the sweat test, Robutt simulates a decade’s worth of car use in just three days as it sits, bounces and twists in the seat 7,500 times. Based on the dimensions of a large man, the robotic bottom is heated to 36°C (79°F) and soaked with 0.45 liters of water.
Introduced in 2018 for the Fiesta, the Robutt seat test is now being rolled out for all Ford vehicles in Europe.