WITH both a driver and passenger airbag on Forte, Ford became the first Australian manufacturer with the feature standard across its passenger car range. Computer aided engineering is said to have improved front end and side structural components of the car and occupant crash protection. Pyrotechnic seatbelt pretensioners are on both front seats across the range. All sedan and wagon passengers are restrained by a lap-sash seatbelt. ABS brakes remain an option on Forte and Falcon S while traction control, now standard on Fairmont, is unavailable for cars lower down the scale. And side airbags remain unavailable on Falcon, unlike Commodore.