Posted at: 11/06/2009 10:05 AM | WHEC.com
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Ford launches inflatable belts
Ford Motor Company has designed an inflatable seat belt to keep passengers in the back seat safe.
The new seat belt operates like an inflatable airbag and comes open upon impact.
During a crash the belt itself inflates and acts like a life preserver.
Trauma surgeon Dr. Stewart Wang of the University of Michigan is also a crash investigator, and he believes Ford is really onto to something here.
"The kids swing and hit the door on the right side, and since this is an outboard bag, this has the potential to keep the head from striking the door," he explained.
It's also meant to help seniors who are equally as frail as kids, especially in the chest area.
Ford plans to have the new inflatable seat belt available next year with its Explorer models and then spread it across the vehicle line in the years to come.
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