PHOENIX — Ford is rolling out a new technology they say will improve safety for people who sit in the back seat of the car.
The idea for inflatable seatbelts first came to light in 2001 and Ford says they have been “plugging away” ever since.
The belts expand like an air bag in the event of a crash, and distribute the force of impact across a wider area of the person’s chest.
“It feels a lot different; it’s softer and more lightly woven,” said Sue Cischke, group vice president of sustainability, environmental and safety engineering. “When we asked people to sample them, they said it feels less rigid (than regular seat belts) and more comfortable.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, people who sit in the back seat of cars are less likely to use seat belts.
“We’ve developed so much technology for the front seat occupants, we want to bring some of these advanced technologies from the front seat to the rear seat,” says Srini Sundararajan, technical leader for Ford’s research and advanced engineering division. “It’s a vulnerable population, like elderly and children, who sit back there. And we believe this is the best way to enhance safety for the rear seat occupants.”
The new inflatable seat belts will be an option on the next generation Ford Explorer.
