Ready to equip one of its next models with seat belts that will inflate in the event of a crash, is Mercedes-Benz. We predict that the technology will first appear in the new S-Class, which will be launched in 2013. Seat belts with an integrated airbag are intended to limit thoracic injuries to rear passengers. The German company had introduced the belts on the ESF 2009 experimental safety vehicle three years ago. When the sensors detect a collision the compressed gas inflates the belt, tripling its width. Thus the forces exerted are distributed over a larger surface and at the same time the risk of injury is reduced. To establish the benefits of using airbags, Mercedes carried out tests not only on dummies but also on the computer.