- The Ford Interceptor interior.
- The Ford Airstream.
The Ford Interceptor Concept and the Ford Airstream Concept feature two possible next-generation safety belt technologies Ford Motor Company is researching. While current three-point safety belts are effective in reducing the risk of injury in a crash, Ford Motor Company is researching two potential safety belt technologies that may have the possibility to further reduce injury risk in vehicle crashes.
Inflatable Safety Belts
In the Ford Interceptor concept, the rear seat is equipped with inflatable safety belts. As its name suggests, the inflatable rear safety belt fills with air during a crash.
A strap of air bag material is hidden in the seat belt webbing. The strap inflates into a cylindrical shape when frontal air bags deploy. The concept of inflatable belts is to spread forces from a vehicle crash over a broader section of the body than traditional safety belts, further helping to reduce the pressure on the chest and helping to control the motion of the head and neck.
Four-Point Safety Belts
Both the Ford Interceptor concept and the Ford Airstream Concept showcase Ford Motor Company’s research into four-point safety belt technology.
Recent customer research showed Ford scientists and engineers that some consumers perceive fourpoint belts to be safer, as well as more comfortable and, depending on their design, easier to use than traditional three-point belts.
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It's cool to see these ideas proposed for consumer-targeted vehicles, but time will tell if these features actually make it to market.
I for one, would love to see a Mustang that came with a multi-point (4 or 5) racing-style harness instead of the factory three-point belt. Throw in some Recaro-designed seats and you've got yourself a showroom-floor, race-ready car.