Ford's inflatable rear seatbelt, combining airbag and harness benefits in one, will make its Irish debut in the new Mondeo next year.
The restraint is designed to reduce head, neck and chest injuries. It is inflated by compressed gas when sensors detect an impact. This causes the belt to expand, spreading crash force over an area five times greater than a conventional belt.
Unlike airbags, which generate heat when deployed, the compressed gas system remains cool when the belt inflates. In normal use the belt feels slightly thicker and more padded than a conventional item. Ford claims that 90% of customers surveyed found the belt similar to or more comfortable than a conventional seat belt.
Ford's seatbelt engineer Joreg Doering said, "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".
In 2011 Ford first offered the inflatable seatbelts on the Explorer in the USA.