Ford introduces new airbag technology for rear passengers

by Stevie Smith - Nov 6 2009, 10:30

The added safety associated with emergency airbags is something most car drivers and their passengers have become well accustomed to. However, a few eyebrows may be raised by news that motoring titan Ford has come up with a new and rather unusual airbag system.

Specifically, the airbags normally located in a vehicle’s steering wheel, dashboard and side curtains are soon to be joined by backseat airbags Ford is preparing to introduce via the actual seatbelts worn by rear passengers.

The cylindrical seatbelt-mounted airbag device, which runs from the buckle to the shoulder and is held within a special pocket attached to the belt, will make its debut in the autumn of 2010 aboard new editions of Ford’s popular Explorer sports utility vehicle (SUV).

The technology works at the point of impact with the host vehicle sending a deployment signal to the airbag, which, according to Ford, inflates quickly (40 milliseconds) but with less immediacy than a conventional airbag in order to be safer for child passengers.

Set to arrive as the culmination of more than 10 years of research and development, Ford has said its new wider seatbelts and their accompanying airbags better distribute crash forces and will help reduce physical injuries to the chest sustained by rear passengers, particularly the elderly.

“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,” commented Sue Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environmental and Safety Engineering.

“This is another unique family technology that builds on our safety leadership, including the most top safety ratings of any automaker,” she added.

Ford’s rear seatbelt airbags, which will reportedly be an expensive addition, are to be introduced as an optional extra on new models of its Explorer, but prices are expected to fall dramatically when Ford decides to incorporate the technology across its portfolio of vehicles.

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