Inflatable seatbelts to debut in Mondeo

The inflatable airbag will protect against chest, head and neck injuries.

Ford’s inflatable rear seatbelt, which combines an airbag with a conventional seatbelt, will make its European debut in the new Mondeo.

The inflatable seatbelt is designed to reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear-seat passengers.

In an accident, the belt rapidly expands across a body area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seatbelt.

‘We’ve tested the system extensively using our entire crash test dummy family and it offers extra protection over the standard rear seatbelt system,’ said Joerg Doering, core engineering seatbelts engineer, Ford of Europe.

In everyday use, the inflatable belts operate like conventional seatbelts and are safe and compatible with infant and children safety car and booster seats.

Ford’s research suggests that more than 90 per cent of those who tested the inflatable seatbelts found them to be similar to or more comfortable than a conventional belt because they feel padded and softer.

According to Ford, the technology has proved popular in the US, where it was first offered on the 2011 Ford Explorer, with 40 percent of buyers choosing the option.

As with an airbag, Ford’s inflatable rear seatbelt is activated when crash sensors detect an accident.

This forces compressed gas out of a cylinder housed below the rear seat, through the buckle and into the belt.

The inflatable rear seatbelt is fully deployed in less than 40 milliseconds.

‘It provides extra support to the head and neck and so is especially effective when worn by young children or the elderly occupants who are more vulnerable in accidents,’ Mr Doering said.

And unlike airbags, which generate heat when deploying, the inflatable rear seatbelt inflates using cold compressed gas.

Visit Ford.ie for further information.