Ford is so determined to keep drivers safe it is now offering its patented inflatable seatbelt technology to other companies, including its rivals.

Ford believes inflatable seatbelts offer additional protection for occupants, especially the elderly and children, according to a company release.

"Ford's longstanding commitment to democratizing technology goes beyond our customers," said Bill Coughlin, president and CEO, Ford Global Technologies, in a statement this week. "In this case, the wider adoption of inflatable safety belts has the potential to make travel safer and help mitigate passenger injuries - especially among children and the elderly."

The automaker introduced the industry's first production inflatable seatbelt back in 2010.

Inflatable seatbelts are currently available on vehicles like the 2014 Lincoln MKT, 2015 Lincoln MKZ, 2014 Ford Explorer, Flex, and the Fusion.

The seatbelt will also be featured in the upcoming 2015 F-150, according to the automaker.

Inflatable seatbelts work like conventional seatbelts, found in every vehicle on the road today. In the event of a crash however, it deploys over a passenger's torso and shoulder to help distribute crash forces of up to five times more area than a standard seatbelt, according to the automaker.

"The availability of licenses may lead to the wider adoption of inflatable safety belts as other automakers seek to enhance passenger safety," Ford said in a statement this week.

The technology should gradually roll out to other vehicles as well sometime in the near future.

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