Bench seating for front

[FloppaEnjoyer8067]

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

I'd love this but I asked them a while back and they said something along the lines of "we have no current plans for a bench seat due to safety and regulatory costs"

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I'd love this but I asked them a while back and they said something along the lines of "we have no current plans for a bench seat due to safety and regulatory costs"

If it weren’t for the integrated airbags in the seats, I’d be game for an aftermarket bench solution or junkyard mod. But, given the propensity of others’ crappy distracted driving, will opt to keep the seats as programmed (+/- doors).

 

[E90400K]

If it weren’t for the integrated airbags in the seats, I’d be game for an aftermarket bench solution or junkyard mod. But, given the propensity of others’ crappy distracted driving, will opt to keep the seats as programmed (+/- doors).

I like bucket seats in pickup truck cabs, makes it a bit "sporty" IMO. When I had the F150 with the bench seat it let my two beagles climb up on each other in a fight to see who could snuggle up next to the old man. Bid 'ole bench seat, empty passenger seat and the two pups trying to occupy the same space in the center seat. Too fun!

It did work out fine with the pups when my wife rode shotgun though.

 

[E90400K]

I'd love this but I asked them a while back and they said something along the lines of "we have no current plans for a bench seat due to safety and regulatory costs"

Yeah, it's a non-starter with the Slate. Plus, is the cab really wide enough for three across?

 

[TPL]

90% of my driving is with 1 or 2 people, but the remaining 10% is with 3, and I would be totally up for an aftermarket bench seat, if it could be done reasonably safely / legally. I'm not positive it could; from a federal law perspective I would be allowed to retrofit in my own bench seat (as opposed to paying someone else to do it), but there might be a state law or insurance company implications if the third seat was somehow not compatible with the existing airbags. I assume the situation would be the same if I added jump seats in the bed, or if I added a bed topper and my own rear seat rather than going with the SUV kit: there's no airbags there and thus no FMVSS 208 compliance.

When airbags were newly mandated, I was an airbag skeptic, since at that time most of their protective benefit was for people who don't wear seat belts, and I always wear a seat belt. But that was decades ago, and apparently airbags are smarter now. Though I'm still skeptical of the NHTSA and IIHS methodology for assessing airbag safety, which compares crash injuries with and without airbags, because all modern vehicles have them, and the only control group would be modern vehicles where everything else is the same but the airbag malfunctioned and didn't deploy, which seems too small for statistical significance. For an actual scientific comparison they would need to do crash testing with airbags enabled or disabled for the different groups, and that is very expensive.

 

[jeffjgf]

This discussion brings a little flashback to learning to drive on a wide barge like a '72 Pontiac Catalina. When adjusting the bench seat, it felt like you were moving a couch.

Good times!

 

[E90400K]

90% of my driving is with 1 or 2 people, but the remaining 10% is with 3, and I would be totally up for an aftermarket bench seat, if it could be done reasonably safely / legally. I'm not positive it could; from a federal law perspective I would be allowed to retrofit in my own bench seat (as opposed to paying someone else to do it), but there might be a state law or insurance company implications if the third seat was somehow not compatible with the existing airbags. I assume the situation would be the same if I added jump seats in the bed, or if I added a bed topper and my own rear seat rather than going with the SUV kit: there's no airbags there and thus no FMVSS 208 compliance.

When airbags were newly mandated, I was an airbag skeptic, since at that time most of their protective benefit was for people who don't wear seat belts, and I always wear a seat belt. But that was decades ago, and apparently airbags are smarter now. Though I'm still skeptical of the NHTSA and IIHS methodology for assessing airbag safety, which compares crash injuries with and without airbags, because all modern vehicles have them, and the only control group would be modern vehicles where everything else is the same but the airbag malfunctioned and didn't deploy, which seems too small for statistical significance. For an actual scientific comparison they would need to do crash testing with airbags enabled or disabled for the different groups, and that is very expensive.

My opinion is the primary and best safety device in a vehicle is the Driver. When I buy any vehicle be it a car, truck, or motorcycle, I make sure the primary safety device is in proper working order. Accidents don't occur by random chance*. If you choose to add a bench seat without airbags (despite the error code you'll get - and have to work around), just make sure the primary safety device is in excellent working order.

That said, to get around the airbag fault codes and indicator light, if you can find an upholster who is willing to take a cash payment for services rendered that no sales receipt would ever be generated for (i.e. read as - no record of modification), he could retrofit the airbags from the Slate bucket seats to the bench seat. The bags would obviously not (may not) work as well, but they would deploy in case of a side crash. It is not like the introduction of seat-mounted side airbags has shut down the entire automotive reupholstery industry (i.e. upholsters deal with airbags all the time).

You would need to investigate that avenue of retrofit and make a cost benefit analysis.

* as the Federal regulations are written to. They are called "crash dummies" for a reason...

 

[Doctors Do Little]

My opinion is the primary and best safety device in a vehicle is the Driver. When I buy any vehicle be it a car, truck, or motorcycle, I make sure the primary safety device is in proper working order. Accidents don't occur by random chance*. If you choose to add a bench seat without airbags (despite the error code you'll get - and have to work around), just make sure the primary safety device is in excellent working order.

That said, to get around the airbag fault codes and indicator light, if you can find an upholster who is willing to take a cash payment for services rendered that no sales receipt would ever be generated for (i.e. read as - no record of modification), he could retrofit the airbags from the Slate bucket seats to the bench seat. The bags would obviously not work as well, but they would deploy in case of a side crash. It is not like the introduction of seat-mounted side airbags has shut down the entire automotive reupholstery industry (i.e. upholsters deal with airbags all the time).

You would need to investigate that avenue of retrofit and make a cost benefit analysis.

* as the Federal regulations are written to. They are called "crash dummies" for a reason...

Thank you for volunteering! We await your report, Sir.

 

[E90400K]

Thank you for volunteering! We await your report, Sir.

As I said earlier, I prefer the bucket seats, so I have no dog in the fight, but that would be my approach.

My approach with the upholstery shop would ask if he could add airbags to an automotive bench seat and not discuss any reasoning as to why the inquiry. Up front explain to him that you will pay in cash and not require a receipt for his services.

Of course, you'd then need to fabricate seat mounts.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

As I said earlier, I prefer the bucket seats, so I have no dog in the fight, but that would be my approach.

My approach with the upholstery shop would ask if he could add airbags to an automotive bench seat and not discuss any reasoning as to why the inquiry. Up front explain to him that you will pay in cash and not require a receipt for his services.

Of course, you'd then need to fabricate seat mounts.

For those of us without a welder or 3 D printer, is that a body shop mod?

 

[EV Trek]

My opinion is the primary and best safety device in a vehicle is the Driver. When I buy any vehicle be it a car, truck, or motorcycle, I make sure the primary safety device is in proper working order. Accidents don't occur by random chance*. If you choose to add a bench seat without airbags (despite the error code you'll get - and have to work around), just make sure the primary safety device is in excellent working order.

That said, to get around the airbag fault codes and indicator light, if you can find an upholster who is willing to take a cash payment for services rendered that no sales receipt would ever be generated for (i.e. read as - no record of modification), he could retrofit the airbags from the Slate bucket seats to the bench seat. The bags would obviously not work as well, but they would deploy in case of a side crash. It is not like the introduction of seat-mounted side airbags has shut down the entire automotive reupholstery industry (i.e. upholsters deal with airbags all the time).

You would need to investigate that avenue of retrofit and make a cost benefit analysis.

* as the Federal regulations are written to. They are called "crash dummies" for a reason...

You better have a good lawyer on retainer, many accidents happen that you have no control over, disabling airbags is very risky, if you do get involved in an accident and a passenger or yourself get injured where the airbag may have prevented that injury or made it less severe you could be held liable for the injuries, I doubt insurance will want to pay out in that situation. Even if you are not at fault the other driver’s insurance could refuse to pay based on the disabling of your airbags. Are you willing to risk your life and your passenger’s life over a bench seat?

 

[steveozz67]

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.

You still can get a 40/20/40 bench in most of the full sized pickups if ordered , the 20 middle will fold down for a arm rest / storage compartment , fold up to make center seat with integrated shoulder belt

 

[Visualvalhalla]

With a bench seat, where will the console cup holders be located?

 

[Doctors Do Little]

You still can get a 40/20/40 bench in most of the full sized pickups if ordered , the 20 middle will fold down for a arm rest / storage compartment , fold up to make center seat with integrated shoulder belt

What does that translate to in a narrower Slate? I’d love that option.

 

[ack154]

With a bench seat, where will the console cup holders be located?

Attached to the little T-rail next to the phone mount would work.