Are there car seat belts with airbags?

November 1, 2015 | By Staff

Question:

I hope one of Auto Restorer’s readers who’s familiar with commercial aviation might help with this question. Recently I traveled on a Boeing 737/800 at the bulkhead, and the insert end of the seat belt supposedly had a built-in airbag. That led me to wonder if this could not be adapted to my classic ’57 Chevy, where the only safety equipment is lap belts. I guess the problem would be sensors for the front and rear ends of the car, but it may also require a computer.

Answer:

How about it Auto Restorer readers? Does anyone know where such devices might be available, and if so, how much they would cost?

Also, what would be involved in installing them? My experience in aerospace was many years ago, but it stands out in my mind that anything designed to meet federal specifications in passenger aircraft is very expensive. However, maybe seat belts with airbags installed in them are exceptions to the rule.