# Ford unveils inflatable seat belts **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [November 6, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ford-unveils-inflatable-seat-belts/75802 "2009-11-06T10:46:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![somedude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@somedude](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/somedude)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ford-unveils-inflatable-seat-belts/75802/1 "2009-11-06T10:46:04Z")
> **[Ford unveils industry's first\* production inflatable seat belts \[w/VIDEO\] -...](https://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/05/inflatable-seat-belts-ford/)** > > Ford's Inflatable Seat Belts – Click above for high-res image gallery > **[Ford Unveils Inflatable Seat Belt...You Know, For Kids!](https://jalopnik.com/ford-unveils-inflatable-seat-belt-you-know-for-kids-5397914)** > > Ford just unveiled their new not-an-air-bag inflatable seat belt here in Dearborn, a device Ford adamantly claims will not decapitate the big, heavy heads of small children or compress the thoraxes of the elderly. > They started out in our steering wheels before taking up residence across the dash. They then migrated to the side of our vehicles and grew to be full-sized curtains. Automakers seem to stick them everywhere, so where else can airbags go to protect our fleshy, organic bodies when metal meets metal in an accident? Ford has the answer: seatbelts. > Today Ford is introducing the auto industry’s first\* inflatable seat belts, which are scheduled to enter production in 2010 on the next-generation Ford Explorer before being offered across its global lineup. They’re designed for rear-seat occupants only (front passengers already have a plethora of airbags) and, in the event of a frontal or side impact, will inflate the belt across a passenger’s chest in 40 milliseconds. When expanded, the belt cover five times more surface area of the body than a normal seat belt, which helps better distribute the forces of a crash. > The mechanics of Ford’s inflatable belt system use cold compressed gas to inflate the bags, unlike traditional airbags that rely on a heat-generating chemical reaction. The seat belt bags also inflate slower and to a lower pressure than a traditional airbag, mainly because they don’t have to cover the distance between the passenger and an object (steering wheel, dash). > This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Ford’s inflatable seat belts. The automaker has been working on the idea for several years and [revealed their intentions](http://www.autoblog.com/2006/01/02/fords-inflatable-seat-belt/) right before the 2006 [Detroit Auto Show](http://www.autoblog.com/category/detroit-auto-show/). Unfortunately, Ford may not be the first to market with the idea. The [Lexus LFA](http://www.autoblog.com/model/lfa), also set to enter production next year, features an SRS seatbelt airbag as well. We don’t know if the next-gen Explorer will beat the LFA to dealer showrooms yet, but Ford can at least take pride in knowing that its technology will be protecting more than just 500 lives. the first link has a few videos for those that are too lazy to read. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/blue_eyed_devil/32/7292_2.png) [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 10:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ford-unveils-inflatable-seat-belts/75802/2 "2009-11-06T10:58:19Z")
Safety is awesome don’t get me wrong but at what point are we just going to ride in a cocoon made of Great Stuff? Maybe I will buy an older beater and fill it with Great Stuff then cut out a cavity to slide into. lol Another great feature would be that it would float if you drove into a river.lol I will call it the safest car on the road! ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 11:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ford-unveils-inflatable-seat-belts/75802/3 "2009-11-06T11:01:26Z")
> [@Blue Eyed Devil](#): > > Safety is awesome don’t get me wrong but at what point are we just going to ride in a cocoon made of Great Stuff? > Maybe I will buy an older beater and fill it with Great Stuff then cut out a cavity to slide into. lol > Another great feature would be that it would float if you drove into a river.lol > I will call it the safest car on the road! Ever see Demolition Man? ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/blue_eyed_devil/32/7292_2.png) [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 11:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ford-unveils-inflatable-seat-belts/75802/4 "2009-11-06T11:01:56Z")
^No. I need to? Foam car? SWEET… [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnyhkBU1yaw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnyhkBU1yaw) ---
**Author:** ![mike125k](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mike125k/32/7282_2.png) [@mike125k](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/mike125k)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 11:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ford-unveils-inflatable-seat-belts/75802/5 "2009-11-06T11:06:32Z")
> [@newman](#): > > Ever see Demolition Man? I was thinking this exact thought when I read his post. ---
**Author:** ![ubengineering](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ubengineering/32/5171_2.png) [@ubengineering](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ubengineering)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 11:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ford-unveils-inflatable-seat-belts/75802/6 "2009-11-06T11:25:37Z")
better ideas make me richer go go go !