GM safety tech disables car until seat belts are secured

General Motors is currently developing a safety system that will prevent a vehicle from being driven until passengers are secured by seat belts.

Detailed this week in support of the “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign, the new Belt Assurance System steps beyond annoying sounds to encourage drivers and passengers to buckle up. If the front occupants are not secured, the transmission will remain locked in “park.”

“Customer safety is on the forefront of everything we do,” said GM safety head Jeff Boyer. “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.”

The announcement represents another element in General Motors’ renewed focus on safety. The company is working to promote safety as its top priority, after defective ignition switches were blamed on more than a dozen deaths. Failure to wear seat belts was a contributing factor in some of the fatalities.

The Belt Assurance System will initially be available later this year as a free option for fleet vehicles. It is unclear if the company is considering the technology as a standard feature for future models.