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New seat belts inflate

Jan 13, 2010 | Staff | Nanaimo Bulletin

Ford Motor Company is bringing to market the world's first automotive inflatable seat belts, combining traditional seat belt and air bag technologies to provide an added level of crash safety protection for rear seat occupants.

Ford will introduce the inflatable rear seat belts on the next-generation Ford Explorer, which goes into production next year for the North American market.

"Ford's rear inflatable seat belt technology will enhance safety for rear-seat passengers of all ages, especially for young children who are more vulnerable in crashes," said Sue Cischke, Ford's vice-president of safety engineering.

The seat belts are designed to deploy over a vehicle occupant's torso and shoulder in 40 milliseconds in the event of a crash.

In Ford's research, more than 90 percent of those who tested the inflatable seat belts found them to be similar to or more comfortable than a conventional belt because they feel padded and softer.

Vehicle safety sensors determine the severity of a collision in the blink of an eye and deploy the inflatable belts' air bags. The inflatable belt's accordion-folded bag breaks through the belt fabric as it fills with air.