Foonf. The future of car seats?

American car seat company Clek are about to launch what it calls an 'automotive safety innovation'. Its got a silly name but there's some pretty serious science behind the Foonf convertable car seat. Let's see how it stacks up.

It looks slick but the Foonf is more than a silly name. It's the first car seat soon-to-be-on-the US market that can accommodate a child rear facing up to two years.

It's installed using a combination of ISOFIX (set of clips fixed to the cars structure at seat height) and our back tether strap system. Incorporating the best of both US & Australian installation methods.

The Foonf features a structured head rest with wings and shock absorbing foam similar to some of the better car seats we've seen released in Australia in 2011.

What is unique to the Foonf its internal aliminum honeycomb structure which acts like a crumple zone in an accident. This greatly reduces the impact on a forward facing child.

Although I think it's unlikely that the Foonf would meet Australian safety standards it does have some great safety features as well as some very practical innovations (like magnets to hold the harness out of the way when you are getting your child in and out).

It's interesting to see the different approach to design from a company which comes from an automotive background rather than a nursery background.

The Foonf is available for pre-order in the US now. It's priced at $480 or thereabouts and comes in 3 colours and 3 Paul Frank designs.

If you're interested in what Clek are up to check out their website.