Inflatable seat belts to debut in 2011 Ford Explorer

Posted on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 5:06 PM EST.

Ford Motor Co. said today that its new inflatable seat belts will provide additional safety for rear seat passengers, especially children and the elderly, who more frequently sit in the back rows of cars and trucks, the Detroit Free Press reported.

“This really is about improving family safety,” Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president of sustainability, environmental and safety engineering, said in the story. Ford unveiled its new inflatable seat belts yesterday in Dearborn, Mich., the paper said. The company said the system marks an opportunity for Ford to turn its efforts on improving occupant safety to the passengers who sit in the back of vehicles, the Free Press said.

Ford said it plans to introduce the system next year as an option when it launches the redesigned 2011 Ford Explorer, the paper said. Over time, Ford plans to roll out the technology on most of its cars and trucks. Ford executives declined to disclose how much it will cost or the supplier it worked with to develop the system, the story said. (Detroit Free Press)

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