I like this new safety feature from Ford: offer customers inflatable seat belts to protect rear occupants who don’t have the benefit of an airbag to protect them in a frontal crash. Sure, many cars now come with side curtain airbags, but when it comes to a head-on collision, rear seating passengers don’t have all the protection that they need.
Well, buyers of the next generation Ford Explorer due out next year will find that they’ll have one more reason why to consider Ford when shopping for a sport utility vehicle. That vehicle will include the new feature which Ford says will protect occupants including small children who are most vulnerable in an accident.
“Ford is pioneering inflatable seat belt technology to help enhance crash safety protection, while encouraging more people to buckle up with a more comfortable belt,” said Paul Mascarenas, Ford vice president, Engineering, Global Product Development.
New Arrival: 2011 Ford Explorer
Speaking of the Ford Explorer, the next generation model will be a clear departure from the current model. Instead of residing on a truck chassis, the Explorer will be underpinned by a car chassis. Thus, the 2011 Explorer will probably lose its SUV designation in favor of CUV crossover utility vehicle.
Autoblog and some other sites have published spy photos of the next generation Explorer which give the vehicle a more wagon-like appearance, more rounded than the squared off Flex.
Further Reading
Safety on the Road: Winter Driving Precautions
2014 Ford Fusion Energi SE: Green Dreams
Source: Ford Motor Company