Honeywell International Inc., for example, has developed what it calls a "smart fiber" that stretches in a controlled manner in a car crash. This eases the stress on the occupant in much the same way as the elaborate assembly of mechanical, electronic and even pyrotechnic pretensioners and force limiters carmakers are currently using.
The new fabric, which Honeywell has dubbed "Securus," would allow the elimination of such devices, saving not only costs but providing a better seat belt.
"Today's seat belts are actually too strong," said Craig Trask, Honeywell's business manager for Securus, and can, in fact, contribute to fatal injuries "like in the Earnhardt crash." |