It's a fact that seatbelts and airbags have a proven record of saving lives in automobile crashes. Ford has now combined the two technologies to create a new kind of inflatable seatbelt that will better protect rear seat occupants, especially more vulnerable young children and elderly passengers who can be more susceptible to head, chest, and neck injuries. But, in everyday use, these belts would operate like conventional seat belts, making them safe and compatible with infant and child safety and booster seats.

Vehicle safety sensors determine the severity of a frontal or side collision in the blink of an eye to deploy the inflatable belts' airbags. The inflatable belt is inflated by cold compressed gas, which flows through a specially designed buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat. Upon inflation, it unfolds like an accordian, and its increased diameter more effectively holds the occupant in the appropriate seating position, helping to reduce the risk of injury. The shape of the seat belt also spreads crash forces over five times more area of the body than conventional seat belts to help reduce pressure on the chest and better control head and neck motion for rear seat passengers.

Additionally, using cold compressed gas instead of a heat-generating chemical reaction means the inflated belts feel no warmer on the wearer's body than the ambient temperature, and eliminate concerns of inflation burns typical in traditional airbag systems.

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. Ford believes that comfort factor could help improve the 61 percent rear-belt-usage rate in the U.S., which compares to 82 percent usage by front-seat passengers, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

"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 (pictured, right). "This is another unique family technology that builds on our safety leadership, including the most top safety ratings of any automaker."

Ford plans to introduce these inflatable rear seat belts on the next-generation Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle, which goes into production next year, and eventually intends to offer the inflatable seat belt technology in vehicles globally.