Automatic seat belts are seat belts that automatically close over riders in a car.
History[]
Automatic seat belts were created to circumvent vehicle occupants' failure to use manual seat belts.
The 1972 Volkswagen ESVW1 Experimental Safety Vehicle presented passive seat belts [1]. Volvo tried to develop a passive three point seatbelt. In 1973 Volkswagen announced they had a functional passive seat belt[2]. The first commercial car to use automatic seat belts was the 1975 Volkswagen Rabbit [3].
One problem identified with the automatic seat belt is that they do not work well with child safety seats. When air bags became mandatory, most vehicles stopped offering automatic seat belts. The biggest exception is the Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer, as well as a few other models, which continued using automatic safety belts along with dual airbags in the 1995 and 1996 model years. Since then automatic seat belts have not been offered.
Types of automatic seat belt systems[]
- Manual lap belt with automatic shoulder belt — When the door is opened, the shoulder belt moves from a fixed point on a track mounted in the door frame of the car to a point at the end of the track. Once the door is closed, and the car is turned on, the belt retracts along the track to a fixed position at the other end of the track. The lap belt must be fastened manually (if equipped). A drawback of this system is that many users forget to fasten the lap belt. A special seat belt modification is needed to use child seats in the front seats in vehicles fitted with this type of safety belt system. A subset of this type are shoulder belts that are fixed to the door of the vehicle, and don't slide. The manual lap belt is the same as in the retractable belts.
- Automatic Shoulder and Lap Belts — This system was mainly used in older General Motors vehicles, though it can also be seen on older Honda Civic hatchbacks and Nissan Sentra coupes as well. When the door is opened, the belts go from a fixed point in the middle of the car by the floor to retractors on the door. Passengers must slide into the car under the belts. When the door closes, the retractors travel down the door. The maneuver required to slide out from these seat belts is awkward, and likely to knock off glasses if the person is wearing them. However, the seat belts have normal release buttons that are supposed to be used only in an emergency but in practice are routinely used in the same manner as manual seat belt clasps. Any child safety seats in vehicles using this type of automatic seat belts used must be installed by a dealer.
Cars with automatic seat belts[]
- Acura SLX (1996-2002)
- Acura Integra
- Buick Century (1989-1996)
- Buick Electra (1985-1990)
- Buick LeSabre (1987-1991)
- Buick Regal (1988-1996)
- Buick Riviera (1986-1993)
- Buick Skyhawk (1990-1994)
- Buick Skylark (1988-1995)
- Cadillac Cimarron (1989-1994)
- Chevrolet Astro (1990-1995)
- Chevrolet Beretta (1987-1994)
- Chevrolet Blazer (1992-1994)
- Chevrolet Cavalier (1988-1994)
- Chevrolet Corsica (1987-1994)
- Chevrolet Frontera (1995-1997)
- Chevrolet Lumina (1990-1994)
- Chevrolet Monterey (1994-2002)
- Chevrolet S-10 Blazer (1991-1994)
- Chevrolet Suburban (1992-1994)
- Chrysler Cirrus (1995)
- Chrysler PT Cruiser (2008)
- Dodge Caravan LE, ES, Grand LE, Grand ES (1991-2000)
- Dodge Colt (1989-1994)
- Dodge Shadow (1994)
- Dodge Spirit (1994-1995)
- Dodge Stratus (1995)
- Eagle Summit (1989-1994)
- Eagle Talon (1990-1994)
- Ford Escort (1985-1996)
- Ford Explorer Sport (1991-1994)
- Ford Festiva (1988-1993)
- Ford Probe (1993-1994)
- Ford Tempo (1986-1994)
- Ford Thunderbird (1989-1993)
- Geo Metro (1989-1994)
- Geo Prizm (1989-1991)
- GMC Jackaroo (1994-2002)
- GMC S-15 Jimmy (1991-1994)
- GMC Safari (1990-1995)
- GMC Suburban (1992-1994)
- GMC Wizard (1995-1997)
- GMC Yukon (1992-1994)
- Honda Accord (1990-1991)
- Honda Civic (1990-1991)
- Honda Horizon (1994-2002)
- Honda Passport (1994-1997)
- Honda Prelude (1990-1991)
- Hyundai Excel (1986-1994)
- Isuzu Amigo (1989-1994)
- Isuzu Rodeo (1991-1997)
- Isuzu Trooper (1992-2002)
- Mazda Navajo (1991-1994)
- Mazda 929 (1989-1991)
- Mazda Protege/323 (1989-1994)
- Mazda 626/MX-6 (1990-1992)
- Mazda MX-3 (1991–1998)
- Mercury Cougar (1989-1993)
- Mercury Lynx (1985-1987)
- Mercury Topaz (1986-1994)
- Mercury Tracer (1991-1996)
- Mercury Villager (1993-1995)
- Mitsubishi Eclipse (1990-1994)
- Mitsubishi Galant (1989-1993)
- Mitsubishi Mirage (1989-1994)
- Mitsubishi Precis (1987-1994)
- Nissan Altima (1993)
- Nissan Maxima (1987-1994)
- Nissan Quest (1993-1995)
- Nissan Sentra (1990-1994)
- Nissan 240SX (1989-1994)
- Oldsmobile Achieva (1992-1995)
- Oldsmobile Bighorn (1994-2002)
- Oldsmobile Bravada (1991-1994)
- Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais (1988-1995)
- Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (1989-1996)
- Oldsmobile 88 (1987-1991)
- Oldsmobile Firenza (1989-1994)
- Oldsmobile 98 (1985-1990)
- Plymouth Acclaim (1994-1995)
- Plymouth Colt (1989-1994)
- Plymouth Laser (1990-1994)
- Plymouth Sundance (1994)
- Plymouth Voyager LE, LX, Grand LE, Grand LX (1991-2000)
- Pontiac Bonneville (1987-1991)
- Pontiac Grand Am (1988-1995)
- Pontiac Grand Prix (1988-1996)
- Pontiac 6000 (1989-1996)
- Saab 9000 (1987-1989)
- Saturn S-Series (1991-1994)
- Subaru Legacy (1989-1994)
- Suzuki Swift (1989-1994)
- Toyota Camry (1987-1991)
- Toyota Corolla (1988-1992)
- Toyota Cressida (1981-1992)
- Toyota Tercel (1990-1994)
- Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit (1975-1984)
- Volkswagen Jetta (1980-1992)
- Volkswagen Passat (1990-1994)