Infiniti borrowed NASA's seat research for the QX60, but the cupholders are the real engineering win

Infiniti says NASA’s seat-research on neutral body posture informed the design of the seats in the QX60, but the article argues the more distinctive engineering win is its cupholders. Infiniti engineers built mock-ups and tested them on a proving ground by driving at speed with water-filled containers, deliberately risking a soaked test driver to confirm the holders wouldn’t fail. The story links that mindset to the QX60’s family-first design: it launched as the JX35 in 2012 and adopted the QX60 name in 2014, later becoming one of Infiniti’s best-selling three-row crossovers. The piece profiles Chris Fischer, a Nissan Americas vehicle development manager tied to the program, highlighting the technical effort behind passenger storage.