---

New Inflatable Seatbelt System Will Improve Occupant Protection

28 January 1999

New Inflatable Seatbelt System Will Improve Occupant Protection In Cars & Trucks

    PHOENIX, Jan. 27 -- A new seatbelt system that inflates to
protect passengers during crashes and rollovers is being developed for use in
automobiles, sports utility vehicles and trucks by Simula Inc. , an
Arizona company known worldwide for its innovations in safety technology. The
Company has recently patented the device. TRW , a leading supplier
to the auto industry, has signed an agreement with Simula to develop and
market the technology to commercial automotive and light truck manufacturers.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990127/DCW039 )
    Manufacturers of automobiles, SUVs, light and heavy trucks and members of
the auto safety community are showing a keen interest in the inflatable
seatbelt system, which Simula has named the "ITTR", short for Inflatable
Tubular Torso Restraint. The ITTR resembles a conventional, "three-point" seat
belt, which combines a lap and shoulder belt. During a crash, a flat tube
inside the shoulder portion of the seatbelt inflates to become sausage-shaped.
Once inflated, it holds passengers snugly in their seats, protecting them from
head, neck and torso injuries.
    The inflated section of the ITTR absorbs and spreads the shock of a sudden
impact, and prevents occupants from flailing around in the vehicle or from
being ejected from it.  Importantly, the ITTR's patented design enables it to
shorten in length as it inflates in diameter.  This capability allows the
system to effectively "pretension" occupants' seatbelts during a crash.
What's more, the system is designed to remain inflated much longer than
conventional airbags, offering protection in the event of secondary impacts or
rollovers.
    The ITTR inflates in an outward direction away from the occupant's body;
therefore it is less aggressive than conventional airbags.   As a result, the
system offers enhanced protection for the entire range of occupants, including
those who are out-of-position, and those of different stature, such as
children, small adults and the elderly.
    The system has both front and rear occupant applications.  If seated in
the rear, passengers will for the first time receive an enhanced level of
occupant protection; front-seat passengers will also receive boosted
protection for head, neck and torso injuries.
    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already conducted a
successful, preliminary evaluation of the ITTR in rollover tests.  The NHTSA
is planning a series of upcoming frontal crash tests of the system to gauge
its effectiveness in a variety of vehicle makes and models.  In the meantime,
auto and truck manufacturers continue to examine the details of incorporating
the ITTR in their vehicles.
    The US military is also interested in the technology. The US Army's Tank-
Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) has contracted with Simula to improve
the safety of its heavy trucks by implementing many Simula safety options, the
ITTR among them. In fact, the military suffers more casualties from vehicular
accidents than from combat injuries. Each year, more than a thousand military
personnel are killed or injured while driving in medium- and heavy-duty Army
tactical vehicles. Many of the most serious injuries occur during vehicle
rollovers.
    Based in Phoenix, Simula is an acknowledged world leader in transportation
safety. Its Inflatable Tubular Structure (ITS(R)) head-protection system,
which uses technology closely related to the ITTR, is now standard equipment
on all BMW automobile sedans; its energy-absorbing crashworthy helicopter
seats are standard equipment on numerous military helicopters. Other Simula
products include ballistic armor; high-technology energy-absorbing aircraft
seating systems; lightweight and efficient advanced composite structures;
andcommercial airline seating systems. Additional information about Simula can
be found at its Web site, http://www.simula.com.
    Operating results are affected by a wide variety of factors, many of which
are beyond the control of the Company. Factors include, but are not limited
to, the levels of orders which are received and can be shipped in a quarter;
whether or when order options are exercised; customer order patterns and
seasonality; shifting production and delivery schedules; manufacturing
capacity and yield; costs of labor, raw materials, supplies and equipment;
reliability of vendor base; amount of resources committed to research and
development from time to time; technological changes; competition and
competitive pressures on pricing; and economic conditions in the United States
and worldwide. Additionally, factors and risks affecting operating results
include those described in the Company's registration statements and periodic
reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.