The new technology will be debuted on the Mustang and will bring benefits including more room for front seat passengers and improved fuel efficiency thanks to weight reduction.

Just 46cm long and 28cm wide, the glove box airbag weighs 65% less than a conventional knee airbag but offers comparable protection, according to the carmaker. In the event of a collision, a tiny gas generator inside the glove box lid inflates the bladder in 20 milliseconds, pushing the lid exterior outwards to provide leg protection. 

“This is a new way of thinking about airbags. We went back to the drawing board and in the course of a year went through hundreds of prototypes to get it just right,” said Ford restraints manager Sean West. “With this design we were able to combine the functions of two separate parts into one single part to save on space, weight and components; and move the instrument panel further forward, ensuring there was more room for the front passenger.”

The company said it is now testing future uses of the weight-saving technology that employs a plastic material rather than a textile fabric and has so far been granted 23 patents.

“Our glove box airbag opens up a whole new world of possibilities for injection-moulded plastic airbags. The glove box airbag could be just the beginning,” Mr West added.