Aside from several Ford models which will get it, including the new Explorer, the Airbelt will be introduced on the Lexus LFA. Commercially, the Airbelt on the LFA will be known as SRS Seat Belt Airbag.
The technology behind the belt is very simple and is, in fact, a combination between a seat belt and an airbag. When sensors detect a collision is occurring, a signal is sent to the belt's airbags to inflate. Unlike regular airbags, which inflate thanks to a heat-generating chemical reaction, the seat belts use cold compressed gas to do so.
Once the gas has been released through a buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat, each of the tubular, accordion folded airbags inflate and expand to cover over the wearer's torso and shoulder, providing better protection for a larger area of the body, as well as a tighter hold thanks to the increased size.
Once inflated, the airbag covers five times more of the occupant’s torso than the usual seat belt. This means more injuries are avoided thanks to the fact that the force used to hold the occupant in place is distributed to a larger area.
Most likely, the technology will be adopted at first by few manufacturers and implemented as an optional feature. In the not so distant future, however, we can see how this tech will become as mandatory as the seat belt itself.
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