Reclining seat with innovative restraint system for travel busses
Long-distance bus trips are unattractive due to the lack of comfort. Therefore, Twiliner and BFH are developing a comfort seat with a restraint system. It will enable reclining passengers to travel in a safe and legally compliant way.
Factsheet
- Schools involved School of Engineering and Computer Science
- Institute(s) Institute for Energy and Mobility Research IEM
- Funding organisation Innosuisse
- Duration (planned) 01.06.2021 - 31.03.2023
- Head of project Prof. Raphael Murri
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Partner
Twiliner AG
Ernst Marti AG - Keywords Mobility, night bus, coach, sustainability
Situation
Long-distance bus trips are unattractive due to the lack of comfort. In addition, the bus sector is suffering from low airline ticket prices. However, surveys have shown that travelers would be quite willing to switch more often to coaches if these were more comfortable, safe and sustainable.
Course of action
Twiliner Ltd has taken up the challenge: it is developing (and soon will operate) the night travel bus of the future, which will be a low-emission, safe and extremely comfortable vehicle. The centrepiece of the travel bus is a special comfort seat that converts into a horizontal bed. Such a seat does not exist yet in Europe, since no restraint system allowing passengers to travel safely and comfortably in a reclining position has been developed at this point. The restraint system for the innovative comfort seat is being developed, tested in terms of safety and brought to market readiness by Twiliner together with BFH and its affiliated company DTC AG. BFH’s expertise makes it possible to develop the seat so in can be approved and certified in compliance with the highest safety standards, despite the lack of standardisation on the part of the legislator. The project is supported by Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency.
