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Ford intros instantly inflatable seat belts
Ford's on a roll. First it announces a $1 billion profit for its most recent quarter, and now it announces inflatable seat belts. Installed next year in the back seats of its rollover-prone Explorer SUVs, the inflatable belt will operate just like any other seatbelt until a collision occurs. That's when sensors trigger the seatbelt's internal tubular airbags, inflating in 40 milliseconds, or the amount of time it takes a speeding SUV to travel about a yard.
Ford emphasized that the new belts are not seatbelt-deployed airbags, but said the inflated padding will still significantly reduce head and neck injuries, especially for small children, who are often the occupants of the rear seat.
If you've ever been restrained by a seatbelt in an accident, you know how sore your rib cage is the next day. Ford says that not only will this inflatable seatbelt "distribute crash force energy across five times more of the occupant's torso than a traditional belt," but even when deflated, its additional padding makes it more comfortable, perhaps encouraging more riders to buckle them in the first place.
Via Jalopnik
By sir_mycroft at 3:35 PM ON 11/05/09
Ford is on a roll because it did not take a Federal handout/invasion into its corporation. It did not need the taxpayer funded subsidy because it was being wisely managed by the decendents of the origianl founder who had stake, their very name, in the company.
By Korben at 6:38 PM ON 11/05/09
Why is it the cars that are known to die a year or two after your 5 year loan has all the cool toys? ("Found On Road Dead" and "Fixed Or Repaired Daily" are names that are earned. I've have/used 3, not by much choice.) You'd think Toyota would pick up on these toys, I mean it's based in JAPAN! The Tech obsessed capital of the world!
By Texas mortgage loans at 12:29 PM ON 11/06/09
I like the idea. I am for anything that makes riding in cars safer.
By joeman at 8:22 PM ON 11/06/09
Airplanes, specifically the new Cessna 172S NAV III's, have been equipped with inflatable seat belts. This is nothing new
By thisisonlyatest at 7:14 PM ON 11/09/09
First of all: Korben... I've grown up riding and driving Ford Crown Victorias. I now have a Mercury Grand Marquis and that car will still be on the road when my co-worker's Audi TT is being melted down for casting and my other co-worker's Scion Tc is heading for the crusher. That's because the Crown Vic/Grand Marqs are built to be repaired. Not like uni-body crap that's been produced in most other vehicles world-wide in the past 20 years. When the frame gets rusty, replace it. When a unibody gets rusty, scrap the whole vehicle.
Inflatable seat belts make sense. Why didn't they come up with these before the airbag? Seem logical, right?
Instead of getting face-punched by an abrasive bag, you could get hugged back into your seat by the very seatbelt which is already slowing your impact... Then, add the face-punching for further reduction of momentum... Not the other way around. Come on people... we're thinking backwards here.
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thisisonlyatest:
First of all: Korben... I've grown up riding and driving Ford Crown Victorias. I now have a Mercury Grand Marquis...More »