Ford's on a roll. First it announces a $1 billion profit for its most recent quarter, and now it announces inflatable seat belts. Installed next year in the back seats of its rollover-prone Explorer SUVs, the inflatable belt will operate just like any other seatbelt until a collision occurs. That's when sensors trigger the seatbelt's internal tubular airbags, inflating in 40 milliseconds, or the amount of time it takes a speeding SUV to travel about a yard.

Ford emphasized that the new belts are not seatbelt-deployed airbags, but said the inflated padding will still significantly reduce head and neck injuries, especially for small children, who are often the occupants of the rear seat.

If you've ever been restrained by a seatbelt in an accident, you know how sore your rib cage is the next day. Ford says that not only will this inflatable seatbelt "distribute crash force energy across five times more of the occupant's torso than a traditional belt," but even when deflated, its additional padding makes it more comfortable, perhaps encouraging more riders to buck