Bench seating for front

[dunavdh]

Someone with more knowledge feel free to correct me, but I think bench seats went away due to safety regulations. So unlikely there would ever be an official part.

I feel like I saw it has something to do with needing a third airbag

 

[Mac-Tyson]

Dear Slate Auto: please give us a front bench seat option.

Just here to support Bench Seats as an option at the very least.

 

[Benjamin Nead]

Now they have to add a middle seat shoulder belt, airbags for middle passenger. Cost just went up 1500 or more. It is a cheap disposable vehicle.

Yeah, I don't think many here are aware that a bench seat instead of a pair of bucket seats is more involved than a simpleupholstery decision these days. Also, if you want to hang stuff off the dash (tablet, soundbar, etc.) the deployment pattern of a middle cabin airbag is going to be right in line with all that stuff.

 

[GaRailroader]

Yeah, I don't think many here are aware that a bench seat instead of a pair of bucket seats is more involved than a simpleupholstery decision these days. Also, if you want to hang stuff off the dash (tablet, soundbar, etc.) the deployment pattern of a middle cabin airbag is going to be right in line with all that stuff.

Airbags are only required on the outboard seating positions.

 

[Benjamin Nead]

Just here to support Bench Seats as an option at the very least.

Really? But i'm guessing they won't allow seat belt mounts in that middle position without an airbag present.

 

[GaRailroader]

Really? But i'm guessing they won't allow seat belt mounts in that middle position without an airbag present.

The regulation only requires front airbags in the outboard seating positions. Below is an excerpt from the Ram website. Note that in the regular cab it offers a single row of seating with up to 3 passengers. In the crew cab they offer 2 rows of seating for up to 6 passengers. Ford F-150 also offers a 40-20-40 front bench where you can flip up the 20% portion and have a 3rd passenger when needed. It shouldn't be that big a deal for Slate to go with a bench instead of 2 buckets. I would think the standard bench would broaden the appeal of the base model with capacity of 3 passengers versus 2. I don't want the SUV because I am exclusively shopping for a truck but I would like the ability to haul a 3rd person from time to time.

 

[Benjamin Nead]

The regulation only requires front airbags in the outboard seating positions. Below is an excerpt from the Ram website. Note that in the regular cab it offers a single row of seating with up to 3 passengers. In the crew cab they offer 2 rows of seating for up to 6 passengers. Ford F-150 also offers a 40-20-40 front bench where you can flip up the 20% portion and have a 3rd passenger when needed. It shouldn't be that big a deal for Slate to go with a bench instead of 2 buckets. I would think the standard bench would broaden the appeal of the base model with capacity of 3 passengers versus 2. I don't want the SUV because I am exclusively shopping for a truck but I would like the ability to haul a 3rd person from time to time.

Interesting. Thanks. I come to this place as someone who doesn't know all the ins and out of trucks, but lots of scuttlebutt on EV traction batteries.

 

[SLATEchad]

Someone with more knowledge feel free to correct me, but I think bench seats went away due to safety regulations. So unlikely there would ever be an official part.

There are trucks that still offer a bench seat. Chevy Silverado had it as an option recently, not sure if they still do, the new Scout is supposed to have a bench seat option

 

[cvollers]

Airbags are only required on the outboard seating positions.

Interesting. Is that how Scout is handling it?

 

[atx_ev]

i definitely want a bench seat. I have 3 kids and sometimes need to take 2 of them somewhere.

most of the time we take my wifes SUV, but sometimes i need to. Without the bench seat I would probably get a minivan or sprinter van for road trips.

 

[Luxrage]

The 2025 F150 still offers a bench, the promo photos of the configurator try to downplay it by only showing it folded down. But you can clearly see the headrest in front of the cupholders. That's really all Ford is required to do for safety. Make sure you don't hit the back glass in a rear-ender.

That would be the ideal way for slate to do it, just a drop-in center filler portion that goes between the seats where the cupholder area is. We crammed three adults in a '99 Ranger, we can do it in the Slate!