Strap On

Beginning in 2011, Ford Motor Co. plans to equip Ford Explorers with the newly crafted seat belt-mounted air bags in the back seat, making Ford the first auto manufacturer to mass produce the technology.

Fitting in a pocket sewn into the belt, his safety harness features a cylindrical air bag that stretches from the buckle to the shoulder.

Lead engineer Srini Sundararajan says with the wider belts and bags, crash force is evenly distributed, limiting the chance of injury.

The technology will be expensive but will be initially available as an option, according to Sue Cischke, Ford’s group vice president for sustainability, environmental and safety engineering. Cischke also says these improved seat belts are only a platform to other safety modifications, such as side-curtain air bags and stability control.

Hopefully this will be an improvement on Ford’s 2001 back-seat air bag display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Drivers complained of the constant rattling of the inflator, which was then located in the trunk.