Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for adjustable seat airbags that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on April 5th, 2023, published on March 4th, 2025, and assigned serial number 12240405.
The Ford Authority Take
If there’s one subject area that Ford has filed loads of patents pertaining to, it’s airbags. Of the many airbag patents the automaker has published in recent years, that list includes many ideas for airbags that would be present in a vehicle’s seats – including filings for a seat bottom-mounted airbag system, an airbag surrounding seatback, child seat airbags, and a selectively extendable seat airbag. Now, this newly published patent expands that list yet again, this time, to include an idea for adjustable seat airbags that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.
In this case, Ford proposes adding an airbag to a vehicle’s seatback as well, but it would expand to the side when inflated, specifically designed to protect the occupant’s torso and hip in the event of a side crash. This airbag would provide protection in that type of accident, which could otherwise result in the door coming into contact with those particular areas and potentially causing an injury. To accomplish this, the airbag would be mounted to a track that would enable it to move into the proper position when a crash is imminent, making it potentially viable for use in future vehicles.
“Submitting patent applications is a normal part of any strong business as the process protects new ideas and helps us build a robust portfolio of intellectual property,” Ford said in a statement. “The ideas described within a patent application should not be viewed as an indication of our business or product plans. No matter what the patent application outlines, we will always put the customer first in the decision-making behind the development and marketing of new products and services.”
Comments
Man, that thing looks like a Chevy….
Interesting. One of the reasons I factory ordered my 2018 f150 was because one of the options I wanted, airbags in the rear seat belts, was not available on any in-stock inventory of dealers in a 5 state area. The option was later discontinued because of lack of interest. I hope I never need that option, but I am glad it is there.