Ford Inflatable Rear Seatbelt to Debut on New Mondeo; Pioneering System Harnesses Seatbelt and Airbag Attributes

• Ford will debut its inflatable rear seatbelt in Europe on the all-new Mondeo next year
• Ford’s inflatable rear seat belt combines airbag and seatbelt attributes in one ground-breaking safety feature currently unavailable in Europe
• System designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries; especially for most vulnerable passengers; crash forces dispersed over an area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seatbelt

AACHEN, Germany, June 22, 2012 – Ford Motor Company announced today that its groundbreaking inflatable rear seatbelt – which combines attributes of an airbag and a conventional seatbelt – will make its European debut next year on the all-new Mondeo.

Ford’s inflatable rear seatbelt is designed to reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear-seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries. In the event of an accident, the belt rapidly expands to disperse crash forces across a body area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seatbelt.

“We’ve tested the system extensively using our entire crash test dummy family and it offers extra protection over the standard rear seatbelt system,” said Joerg Doering, core engineering seatbelts engineer, Ford of Europe. “Bringing together the attributes of an airbag and a seatbelt is a significant development. This technology isn’t currently available in Europe.”

In everyday use, the inflatable belts operate like conventional seatbelts and are safe and compatible with infant and children safety car and booster seats. In Ford’s research, more than 90 percent of those who tested the inflatable seatbelts found them to be similar to or more comfortable than a conventional belt because they feel padded and softer.

The technology was first offered on the 2011 Ford Explorer in the U.S. and proved immediately popular, with 40 percent of buyers choosing the option.

As with an airbag, Ford’s inflatable rear seatbelt is activated when crash sensors detect an accident. This forces compressed gas out of a cylinder housed below the rear seat, through the buckle and into the belt. The inflatable rear seatbelt is fully deployed in less than 40 milliseconds.

“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,” Doering said.
Unlike airbags, which generate heat when deploying, Ford’s inflatable rear seatbelt inflates using cold compressed gas.

“The new Mondeo will be the first vehicle in its class to offer this technology,” said Mark Beal, marketing manager, Ford of Europe. “We're confident it will really appeal to customers.”

Ford’s inflatable rear seatbelt technology is the latest in a line of Ford seatbelt innovations dating back to 1955 when customers were offered factory-fitted front seat lap belts for the first time.

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Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 66,000 employees. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford of Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 22 manufacturing facilities, including joint ventures. The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.