If There Is No Middle Front Seat Option, Might Tesla Offer It Later? Can One Be Added Aftermarket?

[Deleted member 4261]

It appears that the CT will not have a middle front seat or a "jump seat" like the one that was (is still?) an option with some Ford F-150's. I've seen a number of comments here from people who require or really desire a vehicle that seats six people. I wonder if the CT will ever come with a front middle seating position or if an aftermarket product may someday provide one.

There's a video online that shows the F-150 2021 jump seat pretty thoroughly. The seat is actually part of a combination console/seat assembly. The seat function looks very basic, with the upper portion of the console flipping up to serve as the seat back and revealing a seat bottom beneath it. It looks and is described in the video as uncomfortable and more suitable for children and small adults. There is seat belt for the jump seat. I could find no mention of an air bag specifically for the jump seat position, but there may well be airbag coverage for passengers in the front row regardless of where they are seated.

I looked for any US regulation that requires an airbag specifically for the middle front seat position, but could not find one. Current airbag system implementations typically include multiple airbag locations across the dash, in the steering wheel, in the seats, and often in windshield and door pillars. There might even be airbags behind the rear set headrests in some vehicles. The CT could have airbags in any of these locations, including one under or near the centrally-mounted display.

Maybe Tesla will offer a build option for a jump seat sooner or later, If not, do you think there there will be enough demand for a middle front seating position that some aftermarket product may become available?

Here is the F-150 Jump seat video:

So that’s at least two options now, Yoke or round steer wheel and two seats and a centre console or a front bench seat and daybed.

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[wtibbit]

They won't add a 6th seat if they don't have an airbag already in place (and crash tested). If they don't have it at launch, there's very little chance they would add it later.

I suspect there are airbags that cover the entire dash. I also agree that Tesla hasn't crashed tested the vehicle with three passenger dummies in the front seats, could still add the jump seat later. They could re-test the vehicle with a jump seat installed, perhaps as an add-on to more important reasons to retest, such as a new battery, which is likely.

As too the aftermarket solution, all that is required for this too happen is for there to be enough demand to drive the aftermarket to offer it, and a willingness by the CT owner to pay the price.

Of course all this depends on demand. If the demand isn't there, you are correct.

 

[firsttruck]

You're ok driving with someone constantly under your elbow, fidgeting around, on a trip?
....

I did not know there was a law of physics that all middle passengers fidget or that all family members are all the same size ( NFL football players).

If I have 6 people and I need a pickup truck form factor vehicle ( need a open bed) then yes, if middle passenger fidgets I will put up with it.

Leaving a family member home is not an option.

.....
Just my opinion, take it for whatever... unfortunately, you might be in the market for a vehicle with a 3rd row, ya think?

Most all major full-size pickup truck brands have option cab be ordered with 2-row 6-passenger seating.

I have never even heard of pickup truck with 3-row seating.

3-row SUV or van has no open bed so many times can not be substituted for full-size pickup with seating for 6.

Leaving a family member home is not an option.

 

[CyberGus]

There’s always the “Griswold Family Vacation” method

 

[firsttruck]

They won't add a 6th seat if they don't have an airbag already in place (and crash tested). If they don't have it at launch, there's very little chance they would add it later.

Do major ICE full-size pickup trucks with 2-row 6-person seating have an airbag for front middle seat?

 

[wtibbit]

Do major ICE full-size pickup trucks with 2-row 6-person seating have an airbag for front middle seat?

I tried to research this. I believe that the entire dash area, and the steering wheel area are covered by airbags, whether the truck has or could have a middle (or jump) seat or not. This is from looking at Ford's parts catalogs, so it isn't exhaustive.

 

[Diehard]

You're ok driving with someone constantly under your elbow, fidgeting around, on a trip?

Your mileage may vary depending on how you pick the passenger sitting next to you.

5 seater fans are thinking this:

6 seater folks probably chose a bit more wisely.

 

[GlockandRoll]

I can't imagine Tesla not offering a middle jump seat with a fold-down center armrest like every single other truck I can think of on the road. That would be an abysmal miss to not offer it.

I'd love it for "camp" mode, with my son and I, him lying in the back and me in the front possibly while hunting.

 

[charliemagpie]

Your mileage may vary depending on how you pick the passenger sitting next to you.




6 seater folks probably chose a bit more wisely.

That's a 1 seater

 

[Diehard]

That's a 1 seater

‘I am probably already on thin ice with admin. You are gonna get me kicked out.

 

[SlegMD]

Probably an issue with the touch screen and airbag deployment. Could probably add a sixth seat, probably unsupported by Tesla though.

 

[wtibbit]

Well, I spent a long time looking for crash test videos that would show airbag deployment with a front middle seat test dummy and never found one.

Then I found this in a cars.com interview with the IIHS from 2013:

Russ Rader, senior vice president of communications with the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, acknowledges that while this is a common seating configuration for pickup trucks, the IIHS does not recommend using the center position on a bench seat rather than a center console on a regular basis unless it has both a lap and a shoulder belt — they often only have a lap belt. “The front passenger airbag is not required by federal standard to protect a middle seat occupant,” Rader said. When asked if the IIHS has any crash-test data on the front center seat, he said that the agency hasn’t crash-tested a vehicle with a test dummy in the middle position of any vehicle with a bench seat in the front. ​

 

[firsttruck]

Well, I spent a long time looking for crash test videos that would show airbag deployment with a front middle seat test dummy and never found one.

Then I found this in a cars.com interview with the IIHS from 2013:

Russ Rader, senior vice president of communications with the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, acknowledges that while this is a common seating configuration for pickup trucks, the IIHS does not recommend using the center position on a bench seat rather than a center console on a regular basis unless it has both a lap and a shoulder belt — they often only have a lap belt. “The front passenger airbag is not required by federal standard to protect a middle seat occupant,” Rader said. When asked if the IIHS has any crash-test data on the front center seat, he said that the agency hasn’t crash-tested a vehicle with a test dummy in the middle position of any vehicle with a bench seat in the front. ​

No requirement of airbag for front row middle seat was what I suspected.

I don't think there is a requirement either for airbags for passengers in 2-row and if there is airbag for 2-row it is likely only for side impact to protect from door/window and in real world it many times does not fully work at that either. So usually no airbag ever for 2-row middle seat.

Many cars, pickups, vans, buses and of course airliners now have LCD displays in front of passengers. Seat belts are already supposed be designed to keep 2nd row passengers from hitting the back of front seats so airbags are not the primary protection to keep passengers from hitting LCD displays mounted in front of passengers.

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New crash test spotlights lagging protection for rear passengers
December 13, 2022
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/new-crash-test-spotlights-lagging-protection-for-rear-passengers

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[Rutrow]

This is a LOT like the seat me (5th kid) and my brother (6th kid) rode in on 1000 mile road trips to grandma's. It would entail about the same amount of environmental exposure since my dad never turned on the air-conditioner. That back window was always down. No telling how much the tailpipe emissions stunted my growth*.

*I'm a mere 6'3"

 

[CyberGus]

This is a LOT like the seat me (5th kid) and my brother (6th kid) rode in on 1000 mile road trips to grandma's. It would entail about the same amount of environmental exposure since my dad never turned on the air-conditioner. That back window was always down.

Model s has those, too.

I’m guessing these are a little safer and more comfortable.

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