Skoda has developed a seatbelt with a LED buckles which glow in the dark, which aim to put a stop to fumbling around in the gloom as well as warn you when you haven’t put the belt on. When no one is using the seat, the buckle glows white which helps them be located, but once someone is sitting in the seat they glow red to remind the passenger and driver that they are not done up. Once the buckle is fastened, it glows green.
You can even set the buckle to flash to make it easier to spot in the dark, and Skoda says the traffic light system will help parents “see immediately if their children have either forgotten to fasten their belt or have not engaged the buckle correctly”. The illuminated seat belts are still under development but Skoda has already patented them and is expected to bring them through to production cars in the near future.
The LED seatbelt buckles are just one of 94 inventions Skoda has patented this year in the Czech Republic, more than any other company in the country. While we’re all for improved safety here at YesAuto, we can’t help but feel they are a bit of a gimmick. Since 2019 it has been mandatory that seatbelt reminder systems are fitted for every seat in a car, under EU law.
Keyword: Skoda develops LED seatbelts to help you buckle up in the dark