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INFLATABLE SEATBELTS: NEW DIMENSION TO SAFETY

Seatbelts are the most important safety feature. Advanced safety technologies like air bags and crumple zones too cant make too much difference in absence of seat belts. Over the past years, OEMs and suppliers have constantly improved the seatbelts to offer increased safety and comfort. Seatbelts now features the same principle as found in air bags. In an event of a head-on collision, the entire force is channelled onto a small area of the ribcage through the seat belt. Harsh impact at time can cause injuries in the ribcage due to high concentration of forces. The primary goal of these inflatable belts is to better distribute the forces in event of crash, thereby reducing the risk of an injury. This technology has been in works for several years and a few suppliers have already launched the production ready version. In regular usage, these belts function like the conventional one. Takata has named its product Airbelt and is presently supplying to the Lexus LFA. Key Safety Systems supplies its product to Ford, which calls the technology by the name Inflatable Seat Belts. The latest entrant in the field is Autoliv, which is supplying Beltbag to Mercedes-Benz.

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SIDDHARTH DAS

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VIT UNIVERSITY

LEXUS & TAKATA: Takatas Airbelt is aimed at front passengers for now, as it features on the Lexus LFA, a two-seater supercar. An airbag is built in to the webbing of the seatbelt, which inflates on impact to provide additional protection to the shoulder and critical held area. MERCEDES-BENZ & AUTOLIV: Mercedes Benzs Bagbelt is deployed through sensors, which determine the severity of the frontal impact. A gas generator inflates the multi-layered belt strap with Velcro seams to nearly three times its normal width. FORD & KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS: Ford believes its system will enhance rear seat safety, in particular for young children, as bodies are more likely to sustain injuries in case of severe pressures. The seatbelts are designed to protect the shoulder and torso area on inflation and can deploy in 40 millisecond of a crash. Vehicle safety sensors determine the severity of the collision and deploy the inflatable belt airbags. Each belts tubular airbag inflates with cold compressed gas, which flows through a specially designed buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat.

SOURCE: AUTOTECH REVIEW , AUGUST 2012, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 8

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