Well-Being Behind the Wheel

Written by Andre James / Photos courtesy of Bentley Motors

To provide its customers with a curated selection of features that enhance the well-being and comfort of the vehicle’s occupants, Bentley Motors recently announced a new Azure range. It will be a permanent offering across the Bentley model line-up, including Bentayga, Bentayga EWB, Flying Spur, Continental GT, and Continental GT Convertible. More than just a specification, Azure includes tactile and visual clues designed to reduce stress and promote well-being, along with driver assistance technologies for smoother, safer journeys.

The Azure development team engaged creative neuroscientist Katherine Templar-Lewis, from Kinda Studios, whose wide-ranging research on the external factors that influence stress was vital in defining the ‘well-being behind the wheel’ concept the Azure feature suite embodies. Considering everything from light to the patterns we see around us to the impact of in-car posture and the importance and thermal comfort, Katherine’s research, paired with Bentley’s measurements, gives a science-based analysis of the relaxing experience of traveling in a Bentley. This Science-Informed Design approach uses various interdisciplinary methods to create the most positive sensation of wellness and comfort for Bentley drivers and their passengers. This approach involved designing not simply for the senses of vision, hearing, touch, and smell, but also the position of our bodies (proprioception), gravity and acceleration (vestibular), temperature and even the body’s internal sensation (interoception).

“We know from the scientific research undertaken by our specialists that increased agency comes through choice, and we have taken a holistic approach to well-being behind the wheel, uniting technology, design, and craftsmanship to deliver driver and passengers to their destination more relaxed than when they set off,” said Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors.

Defining Azure’s focus on comfort are up to 22-way adjustable seats, enabling passengers of all heights and weights, from the 95th percentile male to the 5th percentile female, to find their ideal seating position. At the same time, the heating and ventilation functions help maintain the body’s optimum temperature for comfort and alertness. Research has shown that when we slump, our bodies take in up to thirty percent less oxygen, reducing our cognitive function and placing stress on the body. Azure features a massage function with six programmable settings to promote constant micro-adjustments in muscle and posture to combat this.

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