I was watching the 1995 movie, "Tommy Boy" the other night, starring Chris Farley and David Spade, and noticed when Rob Lowe drove up to the warehouse in a 1995 Cadillac DeVille, that it had motorized seatbelts (the kind that have an automatic retractable shoulder belt that runs along the top edge of the door, the same as Ford products had for several years). I never knew Cadillac in the US to have this. The only explanation that I can think of, is perhaps this type of seatbelt was required on cars in Canada, where this movie probably was filmed. Anybody know the real answer? Thanks.
maxim5928
That was a trend in the early '90s (in America too). The thinking was that you would just leave the seat belt plugged in all the time (just schooch under it when you enter the car) and then the lap and sholder belts would become snug when you close the door (and the shoulder belt moved along the door to the rear position.)
The problem was that in crashes if the door came open the occupant got ejected from the car. Also, most people found the automatic features of the seatbelt to be a general pain in the @ss.
Luckily, right aroung this time airbags started to come more into use ... so they just went back to normal seatbelts.
The problem was that in crashes if the door came open the occupant got ejected from the car. Also, most people found the automatic features of the seatbelt to be a general pain in the @ss.
Luckily, right aroung this time airbags started to come more into use ... so they just went back to normal seatbelts.
That wasn't a Canada thing. The "mouse belts" as they're often called (because they run on a track) were around because of the US requiring SRS on April 1 1989 (and that's no joke 
). SRS was "Supplimentary Restraint System" (the SRS you see on the airbags in cars is that) and that included air bags, or automatic seatbelts. Back then it was cheaper to adapt some sort of torture machine into an automatic seatbelt than install airbags, so the manufactuers did for some cars (Ford Probe, Ford Escort, Saturn S-seres). I had no idea Cadillacs ever had them, however. Maybe it was like a prop or something they did for the movie
). SRS was "Supplimentary Restraint System" (the SRS you see on the airbags in cars is that) and that included air bags, or automatic seatbelts. Back then it was cheaper to adapt some sort of torture machine into an automatic seatbelt than install airbags, so the manufactuers did for some cars (Ford Probe, Ford Escort, Saturn S-seres). I had no idea Cadillacs ever had them, however. Maybe it was like a prop or something they did for the movie
Dude, that's a great question. I love this movie, and know every line by heart almost. I know that scene well, but it never occurred to me that they didn't come that way (Cadillac). In watching the scene, you can tell it is a smart prop. There is no way that little window frame could really anchor one half of the seat belt and be expected to keep a 250lb man in place during an accident.
Keen eye!
Keen eye!
It was added for humor, just like the airbags in the Wagon Queen Family Truckster in Vacation(1983)or the giant out of control airbag in Leslie Nielsen Crown Vic in The Naked Gun(1988).How about the talking Corolla in 1984's Wiseguys? It happens ofter than film companies mess around with a car for a gag.
No DeVilles, or any Cadillacs for that matter, ever had electric mouse belts, the only Cadillac that did get a manual passive restraint was the 1977 vintage Brougham which did not get airbags until the 1993 redesign.
No DeVilles, or any Cadillacs for that matter, ever had electric mouse belts, the only Cadillac that did get a manual passive restraint was the 1977 vintage Brougham which did not get airbags until the 1993 redesign.
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