The Evolution of the Driver’s Seat

From the September 2022 issue of Car and Driver.

We’ve driven a car while sitting on a milk crate, but that doesn’t mean we like it, especially when modern driver’s seats offer luxuries such as heating and ventilation, active support in corners, and much greater crash protection than the crate. Mercedes-Benz has a long history of comfort, as even the Benz Patent-Motorwagen had a bench well cushioned enough for Bertha Benz to make a 65-mile road trip in 1888. It was roomy, too—her two teenage boys went with.

Considering that the Patent-Motorwagen marked the birth of the modern automobile, Mercedes can lay claim to having the first automotive seat. Inventing the car is all well and good, but the German brand was one of the first to put massaging elements inside car seats (the S-class in 2000). Now that’s brilliance. Also brilliant: bun warming via in-seat heaters, a feature Cadillac first offered in the 1966 DeVille. It was Saab that had the cool idea of ventilated seats in 1997.

Mercedes-Benz

1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL

The official start of the S-class came in 1972 with the W116 line, which emphasized both luxury and safety. Back in 1979, driving off in a new 450SEL would leave your bank balance $31,000 lighter (about $124,800 in today’s greenbacks). Collector prices are going up, but you can still park yourself in a seat like this for around $20,000.

1979 450SEL Seat

Length: 24.1 in
Height: 38.3 in
Width: 28.5 in
Weight: 65 lb
Features: Blue pleated leather, metal frame, horsehair interior, headrest, armrest
Cost: $300–$500 on eBay

Mercedes-Benz

2022 Mercedes-Benz S500

The current W223 S-class continues to highlight safety while offering a comfortable ride. These days even the most luxurious machines aim to have a sporty side, and the S500’s supercharged and turbocharged six sends it to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. All of that fast class costs a bit more today—try $127,330 to get into this tech-packed seat.

2022 S500 4Matic Seat

Length: 23.3 in
Height: 39.5 in
Width: 20.9 in
Weight: 80 lb
Features: Diamond-pleated nappa leather over foam and air bladders, side airbag, up to 19 motors, pyrotechnic pretensioner, 4-way lumbar support, headrest with cushion, seat memory, heating element, 6 fans, 10 massage functions, optional speaker and fire extinguisher
Cost: $5356

Have a Seat

We compared a 2022 S500 driver’s seat with the one in a 1979 450SEL, part of the first Benz generation to be called the S-class. High-end leather and thickly padded comfort are common to both. But the new seat’s deep-scooped shape and air-filled lateral support indicate this S500 can hold the driver at 0.92 g, a number the classic car could only dream of. The modern seat also reflects crash-safety advancements, such as pretensioning seatbelts and airbags.