DRIVER, passenger and front side airbags are standard. Cougar is the first Ford vehicle to be sold in Australia equipped with Ford's "next generation" head-and-chest combination side airbags. The new, tall side airbag is designed to cushion the head as well as the chest during a side impact. The extra cushioning also helps prevent neck rotation, as well as acting as a barrier between the occupant and the side of the vehicle. Stored within the seat back's outer side bolster, the new 12-litre side airbag is triggered by sensors located near the front seat cross-member. Highly sophisticated computer modelling techniques allowed Ford safety experts to simulate a huge range of accidents and test literally thousands of solutions.