Every car is mandated to have seat belts and airbags to ensure safety for each passenger on the road, but Ford created the next step in seat belt technology when they installed an inflatable seat belt in their 2011 Explorer.
In the event of a crash, the seat belts, installed only in the rear seats, automatically inflate within milliseconds.
See the inflatable seat belt in action >
This technology functions much like an airbag and was designed to protect the fragile bones of back seat passengers, like children and the elderly, who are more vulnerable to head, chest and neck injuries.
Ford has stated that they eventually plan to offer inflatable seat belt technology in all new vehicles around the world, and Mercedes-Benz announced that they will install a similar technology, called a BeltBag, in some of their models within the next year.
We broke down the step-by-step process to show how the inflatable seat belt works, based on a YouTube video that includes footage from a Ford crash test.
Ford debuted the inflatable seat belt in its 2011 Explorer, but the company is planning for a worldwide release next year.
The seat belt is definitely thicker than the conventional model but works just the same.
You could pinch the seat belt and feel the airbag-like cushion inside.
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