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Ford Tells Us More about Their Knee Airbag Available on the 2015 Ford Mustang

In case you didn't know, Ford is the first carmaker to integrate an airbag within the glove box lid to replace separate knee airbag. Yes, that's right, knee airbag because apparently, FoMoCo wants every piece of you safe and sound.
2015 Ford Mustang Knee Airbag 1 photo
Photo: Ford
There's more than one reason for this solution being implemented, so let's see in more details what the innovative airbag is all about.

First, you need to know the technology uses a moulded plastic design, sandwiched between the outer and inner glove box lid surfaces.

The glovebox airbag is 46 cm (18.11 in) long and 28 cm (11 in) wide and according to Ford, it weighs 65 percent less than a standard knee airbag but offers the same level of protection in the event of a crash.

If things go as far as a collision is concerned, a tiny gas generator inside the glove box lid inflates the airbag in just 20 milliseconds. When that happens, the lid exterior is pushed outwards to provide leg protection.

“This is a new way of thinking about airbags. We went back to the drawing board and in the course of a year went through hundreds of prototypes to get it just right,” said Ford restraints manager Sean West. “With this design we were able to combine the functions of two separate parts into one single part to save on space, weight and components; and move the instrument panel further forward, ensuring there was more room for the front passenger.”

It's not the first time Ford is looking to up the ante in the airbag department. The new Ford Fusion (also known as Mondeo in Europe) received rear seat airbags designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear-seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.

The 2015 Ford Mustang - which we had the opportunity to review a couple of months ago - is equipped with eight airbags as standard and has been awarded the highest possible safety standard by the IIHS.

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