Now for the latest car accessory: heated seat belts

You know the seat belt, now meet the heat belt.

German car parts maker ZF has created a heated seat belt fitted with elements like an electric blanket. It's the same principle used for heated seats and steering wheels, and ZF believes in an electric car it could keep car occupants warm more efficiently than blowing hot air around the cabin, thus improving driving range.

In electric vehicles, the climate control system is powered by battery as there is no usable waste heat as with a combustion engine. Reducing the amount of battery current used to heat the interior of the vehicle may enable a range gain of up to 15%, says ZF.

The heated seat belt warms the upper body and pelvic area evenly from the front. In combination with heated seats, the heated seat belt has the potential to provide occupant comfort quickly.

Drivers of electric cars are familiar with the effect of colder temperatures requiring batteries to be charged at shorter intervals.

“This is because cold temperatures can reduce the range of pure electric cars by up to 30%, in part because the battery works optimally between 20 and 40°C,” says a ZF spokesperson.

“In addition, occupant comfort eats the kWh because the heating system cannot draw on the waste heat of an internal combustion engine. Instead, the heat for the interior has to be generated from battery power.”

The heated belt warms up immediately after the vehicle starts moving and works like a regular seat belt with no compromise in safety.

ZF has not yet announced which car brands will use its heated seat belts.

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