B-F-Goodrich announces new seatbelts that work like airbags

(Charlotte, North Carolina-AP) -- The seatbelt of the future might just act like an airbag.<br><br>B-F Goodrich says it has come up with a seatbelt system that inflates faster than air bags deploy, and

Thursday, April 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Charlotte, North Carolina-AP) -- The seatbelt of the future might just act like an airbag.

B-F Goodrich says it has come up with a seatbelt system that inflates faster than air bags deploy, and better protects motorists
in crashes, particularly in the back seat.

During a significant crash, the Smartbelt system is designed to rapidly inflate along the length of the belt, and provide better
protection from the force of a deploying airbag. It works with existing vehicle airbags.

The company says it expects SmartBelt systems will become a standard feature in cars, and even planes, trains and school buses
within a few years.

A spokeswoman says several automobile manufacturers plan to add the system to vehicles ranging from S-U-Vs to mid-size models.

On the Net:
http://www.bfgoodrich.com
http://www.bfgsmartbelt.com