During the early days of the mass-produced and affordable automobile, creature comforts were few and far between - and it didn't take companies long to realise that there was money to be made in supplying components that would make motoring a more pleasant affair.
The fabled Ford Model T, for example, had no factory-fit cabin heater. So, if you lived in a colder climate, then driving would consequently be a fairly chilly affair. Aftermarket manufacturers such as Kunkel moved to counter this, supplying bolt-on manifold heaters. These used the engine's fan to drive air into a pipe, which passed over the hot exhaust manifold, generating warm air that would be fed into the cabin.
Besides improving comfort, these systems were also claimed to have other benefits. Kunkel's advertising, for example, portrayed a driver with a ruinous cold. 'Yes sir! I got it riding in an unheated automobile', he exclaims - followed by 'Prevent it with "Kunkel" Ford heater' and 'Save the cost of doctor bills for next winter.'
In the late 1920s, as water pumps and thermostats began to replace convection-based thermosiphon cooling systems - permitting improved coolant circulation and accurate control of the coolant's temperature - water-to-air heat exchangers were introduced to heat cabins.
These set-ups could be bulky, however, so many heaters were fitted under the seats to avoid clutter behind the dash and a reduction in leg and knee room. Besides supplying heat to the cabin as a whole, these would no doubt make the seat above particularly toasty.
It took until May 31st 1929 for a dedicated seat heater, for automotive applications, to be patented. The innovation, from inventor Johannes Hunlich in Germany, was described as a 'seat with electric heating' that featured 'automatic temperature regulators'. It also packed a heated footstool, 'in the case of a more intense cold', and was listed as being ideal for automotive applications - as well as other methods of transport.
Further developments were made in 1936 when Maria Arostegui - from Washington DC - submitted a patent for a more complicated arrangement. The invention was described as 'an arrangement of heating devices adapted for use in connection with seats, and more particularly the seats of vehicles'.
There was a surprising degree of innovation to Arostegui's design. It was proposed that each individual seating position would have multiple electric heating pads installed in the base, back and arms - along with a deployable footrest that was also heated - to ensure a comfortable and even warming effect. Each passenger could also regulate their own seat's heating.
It's not evident that either design ever made it into production but, in any case, the idea was extended upon in earnest in 1951 by engineer Robert Ballard. He had degrees in both mechanical and electrical engineering and, at the time, was designing interior trim and components for General Motors.
His revised design benefitted from heating elements that were far closer to the surface, in both the cushion and seat back, which provided heat much more quickly. It also operated automatically when the door was initially opened, providing a little warmth before the driver sat down. A 'fast heat control' could be used to deliver more voltage to the heating elements to aid this process, while automatic regulation would later employ more gentle heat to keep the seat comfortable.
This concept, the patent for which was granted in 1955, would ultimately go into production and be offered in the 1966 model year Cadillac Fleetwood - albeit in manually controlled form, and with automatic disengagement once the cabin heater provided adequate warmth.
The 'most desirable Cadillac accessory' was available for the front seats; in the Series 75 Limousine, you could only have it in the rear seats. It was one of the more affordable options in the Fleetwood range, too, commanding a price of $60.20 - around £21 at the time, or £380 today.
Saab dragged heated seats back into the limelight when it introduced them as standard-fit equipment on the 95, 96 and 99 in 1972. Again, significant improvements were made to the functionality of the seats; usefully, if the exterior temperature was below 14 degrees Celsius when the ignition was switched on, the seats would automatically heat up.
Safety had obviously been something troubling some potential customers, as Saab's press release reassuringly stated: 'The heating system is completely safe from electric shock and is not affected by dampness or water that might come in contact with it'.
It wasn't cold climates, however, that seemingly prompted Saab to fit heated seats. The application of heat was designed to reduce backache, according to Saab's brochures, so that the driver would be more comfortable and better able to concentrate on the task of driving.
Nowadays, heated seats are commonplace. You'll also often encounter heated steering wheels too and, as was the case in Arostegui's earlier design from 1936, heated armrests - all of which work to save countless drivers from discomfort on those cold winter mornings.
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