06 Nov 09 11:05
Ford's inflatable seatbelt
Ford is set to become the first manufacturer to include inflatable seat belts in its cars.
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. Over time Ford plans to offer the technology in vehicles globally.
'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 group vice president of Sustainability, Environmental and Safety Engineering.
The inflatable seat belts are said to combine the attributes of traditional seat belts and air bags to provide an added level of crash safety protection for rear seat passengers. It is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries and should be safer for children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.
The seat belts deploy over a vehicle occupant's torso and shoulder in 40 milliseconds in the event of a crash. The inflatable belt's increased diameter holds the occupant in the appropriate seating position better, helping to reduce the risk of injury.
Vehicle safety sensors determine the severity of the collision in the blink of an eye and deploy the inflatable belts' air bags. Each belt's tubular air bag inflates with cold compressed gas, which flows through a specially designed buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat.
The inflated belt helps distribute crash force energy across five times more of the occupant's torso than a traditional belt.
After deployment, the belt remains inflated for several seconds before dispersing its air through the pores of the air bag.
They operate like conventional seat belts and are compatible with child seats and booster seats. In Ford's research, more than 90%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.
'Ford is pioneering inflatable seat belt technology to help enhance crash safety protection, while encouraging more people to buckle up with a more comfortable belt,' said Paul Mascarenas, Ford vice president, Engineering, Global Product Development.
