04/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/21/2026 20:11
The "Active Front Spats" jointly developed by AISIN and TOYOTA, have been adopted for the first time on TOYOTA's new RAV4 (North American specification).
Front spats are installed on the lower section of the front bumper, ahead of the tires, where they optimize airflow around the tires during driving. By reducing aerodynamic drag, they contribute to improved fuel efficiency.
Conventional front spats are fixed in position, requiring sufficient ground clearance to avoid contact with the road surface. This constraint has limited their effectiveness in reducing aerodynamic drag.
The newly developed and adopted Active Front Spats automatically deploy and retract according to vehicle speed. They retract during standstill and low-speed driving to ensure off-road capability and deploy during high-speed driving through a proprietary link mechanism. This maximizes airflow control around the tires, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and an extended driving range.
AISIN is committed to developing technologies that contribute to a better environment and society, in pursuit of its corporate philosophy: Inspiring "movement", creating tomorrow.
Airflow when retracted
Airflow when deployed
"Active Front Spats"