Nissan Zero Gravity Seats Explained

The automaker used NASA findings to make its cars more comfortable.

David Gluckman | 

Jul 11, 2025 | 2 min read

Nissan

Nissan used findings from the United States space program in developing the seating concept it uses on many models today, which it calls Zero Gravity seats. They're designed to properly distribute pressure and make long drives more bearable.

The Concept Behind Zero Gravity Seats Was Developed in Space

NASA established a standard for neutral body posture (NBP) through studies of the human body conducted at the Skylab space station. NBP refers to the alignment the body takes on without any muscular effort — in other words, the posture that astronauts naturally adopt while in space.

The agency's scientists used the NBP angles of the neck, torso, hips, and legs to inform the Man-Systems Integration Standards. Designing workstations and tools according to these standards enhances the comfort of astronauts during spaceflight. In past missions, such as Gemini and Apollo, spacecraft designs were based on upright postures, which often led to discomfort.

Back on Earth in 2005, Nissan began working with Yamazaki Laboratory at Japan's Keio University to apply this concept to terrestrial vehicles. Noting that a vehicle occupant's long-term comfort is a function of their posture, researchers set out to apply the NBP to car-seat designs. This led to the introduction of Zero Gravity seats, which first hit the market in the 2013 Nissan Altima.

Nissan Claims Several Advantages With Its Seat Design

Through testing, the two-piece backrest used in Nissan Zero Gravity seats was found to improve blood flow, reduce exhaustion, and better support the body from the pelvis up to the chest.

This is accomplished through the shape of the seat and by using materials with specific deformation characteristics in targeted areas. There is a flexible joint where the two backrest parts meet, and Nissan claims the seats act on 14 pressure points to support users and reduce the amount their muscles have to work to keep them in place.

During testing, researchers employed a variety of body shapes and sizes to ensure the design would accommodate the widest range of people.

Zero Gravity Seats Are Available in Many Nissans and Infinitis

Since debuting more than a decade ago, Zero Gravity seats have made their way into many of the Japanese automaker's offerings.

This includes 2025 versions of the Altima, Ariya, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Pathfinder, Rogue, Sentra, and Versa. Notably, Nissans such as the GT-R and Z instead use sport seats that are more focused on keeping occupants in place during spirited driving.

The same design concept has been extended to Nissan's luxury brand, Infiniti. The 2025 Infiniti QX50, QX55, and QX60 all come with Zero Gravity seats.

David Gluckman

David has years of experience as a writer and editor for print and digital automotive publications, including Car and Driver and Road & Track. He can parallel-park a school bus, has a spreadsheet listing every vehicle he's ever tested, and once drove a Lincoln Town Car 63 mph in reverse. When not searching for the perfect used car, he can be found sampling the latest gimmicky foodstuffs that America has to offer.