Autonomous Vehicle News
Ford has filed a second patent application for roof-mounted airbags aimed at offering added crash protection to vehicle occupants. The automaker filed a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2021 (it was published in late 2022) showing roof-mounted airbags that deploy from a vehicle's headliner and surround the occupants. Ford roof-mounted airbag patent image (from second application)Published on Jan. 26, 2023, this second patent application focuses on airbags that could cover the space between the front seats and dashboard. Ford roof-mounted airbag patent image (from second application)Unlike the previous version, though, this design seems less specifically aimed at autonomous vehicles, something Ford mentioned in the first patent application. That application also depicted roof-mounted airbags in a vehicle with inboard-facing seats, something we're not seeing here.