Check out this revolutionary new seat belt system!

Automotive supplier ZF has developed a belt that can actively move the occupant into a more optimal position before a potential collision. According to ZF, this device provides more security. We’ll explaine everything here.

After the heating belt, the equipment manufacturer ZF invents a revolutionary new belt. Several devices are introduced with this belt, such as a active tensioner called ACR8 or even a haptic warning.

A tensioner connected to the vehicle assistance

It’s a sort of connected belt that was developed by the ZF company. The latter works in conjunction with l’airbag. In the event of an impact, the seat belt will retain at first the upper body like any seat belt. Then, in the milliseconds that follow, the belt goes to release the body of the occupant up to a defined distance calculated in real time. She relaxes the body until it touches the airbag.

It also works in reverse. If the body is tilted too far forward when the airbag is triggered, the airbag may increase the risk of injurythe belt will then pull the body to soften impact with the airbag and reduce this risk.

This system works as soon as the seat belt is fastened. It connects to various car security systems like emergency braking assistant. If these systems detect a potentially risky situation that could lead to sudden braking, the system will, according to ZF, “improve the protection of the occupant”.

Prevention rather than cure

This new system CR8 can also be used as a haptic signal for warn or transmit information to the occupant. The ACR8 also connects to the fatigue detector and can “wake up” the driver if the detector detects an anomaly.

This feature of haptic signal can also be used during automated driving. Indeed, the system will then, according to ZF, “use high frequency pulses to alert the driver that he must regain control of the vehicle”.

All these innovations have only one objective, improve security occupants on board. According to the company, this system has other advantages. Indeed, the latter can, for example, do without NCAP self-certification for use in a vehicle. The latter could therefore quickly end up in good number of market vehicles.

The heating belt

As mentioned above, the German equipment manufacturer had already revisited the seat belt by making it heating. And it’s not just a simple gadget, far from it! Indeed, its designers had argued that this technology could save up to 15% battery life for electric vehicles. The belt is able to heat specific parts of the body, which allows the driver to avoid using the car heater which, as you know, is very energy intensive for an electric vehicle.