Some people laugh at the idea of hot seat in the car when modern tush warmers come in a Cadillac in the sixties.
They don’t laugh anymore, even though this is a new and funny thing: heated seat belt.
ZF, The German company best known for making gearboxes, seems to have taken a liking to the idea, claiming that such a device could actually increase the transmission range of a vehicle. tram. In cold weather, ZF engineers say: “The system can increase range by up to 15% by reducing the energy required to heat up the interior of the vehicle quickly.”
The idea is that a heating belt wraps around a person’s abdomen — “the upper body and pelvis” — combined with heated seats, allowing tram occupants to feel more comfortable more quickly. Instead, the battery current that would have been drawn for general heating of the cabin is reserved for propulsion. Warmth will come from the straps and seats (and from the heated steering wheel, we guess, though that’s not mentioned).
Tiny wires for heat conduction are woven directly into the thread-like belt structure. The contact elements for electric heating circuits are positioned so that they do not interfere with belt or drawstring operation. If there is a way to control the temperature of the belt, that is not explained.
ZF says that in terms of passenger protection, the heating belt is no different from conventional systems.
Incredulous? Heated seats are obviously comfortable and effective, but heated seat belts don’t seem to provide enough contact patch on your body to really matter. There’s no word on when the hot item might arrive or who has signed up to buy it, but ZF says some automakers are “in demand” for the heating belt. Check back here in a few years.
