Ford's inflatable rear seat belts won a safety award at the New York Auto Show.
Ford’s industry-first rear inflatable seat belts earned the 2011 Traffic Safety Achievement Award from the New York International Auto Show’s World Traffic Safety Symposium.
“Ford’s rear inflatable seat belt technology will enhance safety for rear seat passengers of all ages, especially young children who might be more vulnerable in crashes,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.
In everyday use, the inflatable belts operate like conventional seat belts, including compatibility with infant and child safety and booster seats, Ford said.
In the event of a frontal or side crash, the increased diameter of the inflated belt more effectively holds the occupant in the proper seating position, helping to reduce the risk of injury.
The inflated belts help to distribute crash force energy across up to five times more of the occupant’s torso than a traditional belt. This expands its range of protection and reduces risk of injury by diffusing crash pressure over a larger area, while helping provide additional head and neck support.
Following deployment, the belt remains inflated for several seconds before dispersing its air through pores in the material.
Rear inflatable seat belts debuted as an option for the 2011 Ford Explorer, named in January as the 2011 North American Truck of the Year.
This is the second time in recent years that Ford has been honored at the New York International Auto Show for a safety innovation. In 2009, the World Traffic Safety Symposium honored Ford’s MyKey owner control feature, enabling parents or fleet administrators to set limits on vehicle speed and audio volume while muting the audio system if front occupants don’t buckle up.
Ford’s rear inflatable seat belts also stood out at the 2011 Edison Best New Product Award ceremony by receiving the gold medal in applied technology.