Porsche launches 3D-printed sports seats.

Porsche has become the latest automaker to experiment with 3D printing. German sports car brand Porsche announced Tuesday that it believes the technology will make it easier to personalize car seats.

Just as race car drivers use customized seats, Porsche believes 3D printing will allow for customized seats. Initially, Porsche will offer hard, medium, and soft seats. However, as the technology develops, the automaker hopes to increase the level of customization and eventually create a seat that conforms to each driver's body contours.

The new sport seat is based on Porsche's existing lightweight bucket seats, only their parts have been 3D printed: layers of 3D printed polyurethane form a polypropylene-based cushion and are attached to a standard seat frame. .

According to Porsche, the seats will be available as driver's seats for the 911 and 718 Cayman/Boxster from May via Porsche Tecipment. Only 40 initial prototypes of the seats will be produced, which will be equipped with six-point seat belts and are said to be designed for use on European racetracks.

Porsche plans to begin producing a street version of this seat in 2021, but it is not yet known if it will be available in the United States.

In addition to Porsche, Ford and Volkswagen have discussed using 3D printing to make small parts, and Local Motors has previously 3D printed the entire body of a small electric car.

Perhaps the most ambitious automotive 3D printing project is the Czinger 21C, a supercar with most of its major components 3D printed. However, the 21C's $1.7 million price tag is not suitable for the average car buyer.