A WORLD first in airbag technology has been developed by Ford which has created a system to integrate the protection device into the glovebox of a car.

The set up not only saves weight but also frees up space in the cockpit and will be introduced on the all-new Mustang.

The iconic American muscle machine is going on sale in Britain for the first time as a right hand drive model later in the year.

Instead of using a fabric construction for the new airbag Ford has created a moulded plastic design which is sandwiched between the inner and outer glovebox lid surfaces.

The new airbag weighs 65 per cent less than a conventional knee protection system and in the event of a collision deploys in just 20 milliseconds.

The lightweight technology - which helps vehicle designers make more fuel efficient cars as well as more spacious interiors - could now be introduced on other Ford models.

At the moment, knee airbags are installed at the base of the facia above the foot wells.

"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," said Sean Ward, Ford restraints manager.

The new Mustang is equipped with eight airbags as standard and has been awarded the highest-possible safety standard in its native North American market.

The car will be available in fastback and convertible body styles and with 5.0-litre V8 or 2.3-litre EcoBoost engines and is priced from £29,995.

It is the first time Ford has made right-hand drive versions of the Mustang in the car's 50 years of production and the first models are due to be released in the autumn.