The interior of the Lancia Thesis. A luxurious, soft, enveloping environment, where the craftsmanship of the materials goes hand in hand with technology that is so advanced it is almost 'invisible'. A place where the concept of comfort gives way to that of wellbeing, both psychological and physical. 

These sensations are provided by an array of sophisticated, exclusive options. From the solar cell sunroof, which is activated when the car is parked in the sun to prevent the inside temperature from rising, electrochromic rearview and door mirrors that adapt automatically to the direction and intensity of the rays of light. Heated rear seats, the assisted parking system which warns the driver of the distance from an obstacle with an acoustic symbol when the view is restricted. 

Today the list of optional equipment is even longer. To start with, the Keyless system and Comfort seats are available on both versions of the Lancia Thesis. 
 

Keyless System

Getting into the car and setting off: habitual, almost mechanical actions that we are all familiar with. But even here the Lancia Thesis has a surprise in store. With the Keyless system, you no longer need to look for the key, put it in the lock to open the door, and then insert it in the ignition when you are in the car, to start it. You just need to have your CID (Customer Identification Device) with you, the new electronic key, and it all changes. Now, when you approach the car and show that you want to get in by pressing the electric button inside the door handle, the electronic control unit of the Keyless System verifies whether the CID is within a radius of one metre. When it finds it and recognises the secret codes transmitted by radio-frequency, it automatically opens the door. At that point all you have to do is sit behind the wheel and start the engine by turning the knob on the ignition block. When you get out, you just reverse the operation. Turn the engine off using the same knob and close the door behind you. For the control unit this signifies that you wish to leave the car and the Keyless system then locks the doors (Autoclose function). 

Simple, easy and intelligent, the system incorporates a series of devices and procedures that make it absolutely safe. For example: 

- To avoid accidental and potentially dangerous manoeuvres (by a child, for example), as you turn the starting knob, you also have to depress the clutch pedal (versions with manual gearbox) or the brake pedal (versions with automatic transmission) to inform the system that you intend to start the car.

- When it closes the doors, the system does not automatically engage the alarm and deadlocks so that if someone remains on board he will not have the unpleasant sensation of being locked in. To activate these functions you need to press one of the three keys on the CID, which have the same functions as those of the remote control. 

- If you choose the automatic closing option (Autoclose), the system tells the control unit to lock the doors after it has verified that the user has got out and moved away (because it does not detect the CID near the car). But it is up to the driver to activate the alarm and deadlock functions by pressing the button on the remote control.

- Even if he has the CID in his pocket, the Lancia Thesis owner can remain near the car, maybe chatting with a friend, and the system will not unlock the doors, possibly allowing a stranger to enter the car, unless the owner presses the button on the remote control or on a door handle.

- If more than one passenger is carrying a valid CID and one of them leaves the car, the system will not lock the doors even when the automatic closure option has been set, because the Keyless system detects that there is another CID inside the car.

- If the only occupant of the car carrying the CID leaves the car with the engine running (if, for example, husband and wife set off together, and one leaves the other the car when he or she reaches the workplace), a message on the display warns that the CID is leaving the car and must be recovered.

- If you get out of the car and try to lock the door leaving the CID in the car, the system will not obey the command, because it detects a Customer Identification Device inside the car. 

- After he has closed the doors, the customer holding the CID can still access the boot. The system does not only unlock the rear door, but also allows him to close all the locks again using the handle of the tailgate. This means he does not need to walk round the car to a door to activate the central lock. When the battery of the CID is flat (an anomaly that is always signalled well in advance by a message on the instrument panel), it is still possible to enter the car using the emergency key inside the CID. Once in the car, put the flat CID in the special holder that 'reads' the codes to start the car. 

Comfort Seats

Lancia designed the seats of the Thesis bearing in mind the latest ergonomic parameters. Rounded, soft shapes for maximum comfort and the aesthetic pleasure of a luxurious environment. The stitching, whether double or overstitched, adds a touch of craftsmanship and elegance. The saddle type head-restraints give a typically Italian styling touch.

On the Comfort version, the front seats are not only fully electric but also propose interesting functions such as ventilation, heating, adaptiveness and a massage. And a single button on the driver's seat allows him to memorise a number of personal adjustments of the seats, rearview mirrors and steering wheel for three different people. 
For the ventilation function, there are three fans (two in the cushion and one in the squab) which generated an airflow towards the occupant. The air is distributed through the various upholstery layers: the special Dry-Weave material, open-cell foam and perforated leather.

It is also possible to activate the seat heating, choosing between three different temperatures: 36, 39 and 44°C. 

In addition to ventilation and heating, the seats also offer adaptiveness and a massage. The former allows the cushion and squab to adapt to the physical shape of the occupant, who soon finds himself in a tailor-made armchair, modelled to his shape. The latter provides a light massage to the back and along the seat.

The adaptive system is based on a number of air sacs between the padding and the upholstery, controlled by an electric control unit, which regulates the quantity of air inside the sacs according to the pressure exerted by the occupant. 

The massage function cyclically inflates and deflates a few sacs for four minutes, after which it reverts to the adaptive mode. The system also adjusts the four-way lumber support (determining both the height and the length of the cushion).

To activate the functions, choosing the preferred function for each seat, just press the 'Comfort' button next to the seat. The relevant menu will appear on the monitor of the central console: a few intuitive actions allow you to select the right adjustments.

Comfort and wellbeing for passengers on the rear seats which, on the Comfort version, also incorporate the heating, adaptiveness and massage functions. All the adjustments are made using the pushbuttons inside the 'Business' type rear armrest.

The Comfort seats, which are not only technologically advanced but also extremely good-looking, are available on request on all versions. They are upholstered in extra-soft leather from Poltrona Frau. The broad, deep cushion resembles that of a first class airline seat, and offers the passenger better thigh support. The padding and styling resemble those of a living-room armchair.