DETROIT — In an effort to reduce the risk of death and injury from air bags, Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday became the first auto maker to make a broad commitment to equipping vehicles with "smart" air bag systems.
Elements of the sophisticated system will be introduced as early as late this summer at no added cost to consumers. The system is designed to make air bags less dangerous to all occupants, but particularly children and small-stature adults, who are most vulnerable to air bag injury.
During this decade, air bags have killed 122 people in the United States, including 68 children. Many of the deaths occurred during minor mishaps in which there was likely to be no injury from the crashes themselves.
The advanced restraint system uses numerous sensors to electronically control seat belt tension and air bag deployment based on crash severity and occupants' weight, seat position and belt usage.
Ford will install the system in existing models as they are redesigned, probably beginning with the 2000 Taurus mid-size sedan. Within three years, all new Ford cars and trucks should be equipped with the new system.
"We will have the system on the road later this year," Helen Petrauskas, vice president of Ford safety engineering, said in an interview at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where the announcement was made. The initiative marks Ford's latest effort to gain a competitive advantage by touting safety. In April, Ford became the first U.S. auto maker to commit to installing side-impact air bags on all models within three years.
All auto makers are working on smart air bag systems, and some, including DaimlerChrysler and Porsche of Germany, have already introduced some elements. But Ford says it is the first to make a commitment to an integrated system throughout its product portfolio.
Consumer-safety advocates said the Ford announcement appears to represent a significant advance toward solving the problem of overly powerful air bags. Although the safety devices--now in 79 million vehicles and required in all new vehicles--are estimated to have saved nearly 3,500 lives since 1990, they also caused the gruesome deaths of nearly six dozen youngsters in mostly low-speed mishaps.
Ford's safety initiative comes as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration moves this year to adopt new regulations requiring auto makers to install smart air bag systems beginning in three years.
