Orange County Register

Ford Motor Co. today announced what it says is the industry’s first inflatable seat belts for added rear-occupant protection.

The seat belts will be introduced starting next year in the Ford Explorer SUV.

Eventually, Ford says it plans to bring inflatable seat belts to its cars on a global level.

The company says that in the event of a crash, the seat belts can inflate over an occupant’s torso and shoulder in 40 milliseconds. Otherwise, the belts operate like conventional ones and are safe to use with infant and child seats, the automaker said.

“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,” Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environmental and Safety Engineering, said in a statement.

Ford says the inflatable belts spread crash forces to more than five times the area of an occupant’s body than traditional belts, helping reduce the pressure on the chest and further controlling the motion of the occupant’s head and neck.

Ford notes that it was the first automaker to introduce seat belts, back in 1955.

See the full news release.

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