General Motors is working to implement a new safety system that would prevent a car from shifting out of park if the front occupants aren't buckled. While the vehicle will still turn on, the driver and front passenger will have to be safely strapped in for it to go anywhere, Jalopnik reported.
As the company strives to emulate a "new GM" in the wake of a disastrous 2.6 million-vehicle recall, the Michigan-based automaker has been working to repair potential defects on GM cars and encourage a focus on safety throughout the company.
Currently in testing, the new seat belt system will be available on select 2015 models, including the GMC Sierra and the Chevrolet Cruze, Colorado and Silverado, according to Automotive News.
The system works through the car's sensing and diagnostic module, which detects passenger weight and deploys airbags. The module can sense passenger weights in the front to alert the car's brakes and transmission not to let the driver shift into gear if the occupants are unbuckled.
"It is essential for the safety of our customers' and all drivers' safety to develop the habit of buckling up each and every time they get into their vehicles," Jeff Boyer, vice president of GM global vehicle safety, said in Monday statement quoted by Automotive News.
As GM works to refurbish its image, the company has also emphasized safety by adding 35 new product investigators and restructuring its engineering division.
The automaker was recently hit with a $35 million fine following a federal investigation into a recall of nearly 2.6 million small cars, including the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion, which had faulty ignition switches that have been related to more than 30 crashes and at least 13 deaths.
According to Jalopnik, BMW attempted to put through a similar safety system last year, asking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration if a seat belt interlock could let them make cars that are 7 pounds lighter. The NHTSA denied the request due to concerns that important safety protections for unbelted passengers would be left out of production.
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