Nash Motors, an American car manufacturer, was the first to offer seat belts as an option in 1948, followed by Ford in 1955. Saab, the Swedish auto manufacturer, offered seat belts as a standard feature in all their cars in 1958, and soon afterward, it was usually included for most vehicles from that point on. Nash was responsible for pioneering several innovative automobile features, including the heating and ventilation system (still in use today!), unibody construction, the first U.S. built compact car (1950 – Nash Rambler), and the first mid-sized muscle car (1957 – Rambler Rebel).

Dr. C. Hunter Shelden sparked the introduction of seat belts into the automotive industry when he noticed a high incidence of head injuries from car accidents. He proposed the idea of retractable seat belts to improve automobile safety, along with recessed steering wheels, more durable roofs, roll bars, and automatic door locks. His recommendations led to Congress passing the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act in 1966, specifying minimum safety requirements.