According to research by Sheilas’ Wheels, a UK car insurance company which had previously designed a female-friendly seatbelt, 82 percent of women feel safer with someone sitting in the car beside them and nearly a half don’t like driving alone in the dark.

The solution they propose is “Buddy on Demand,” a blow-up man that fits in the glove box, appears at a flick of a switch and is swiftly deflated when his services are no longer requested.

“We’re not saying that an inflatable man is the only answer but we do hope it will give women extra confidence and make journeys in the dark less fearful,” said Jacky Brown, the spokeswoman for Sheilas’ Wheels.

My tip? use it in combination with the inflatable safety belt. It could be a commercial success in the US where drivers have resorted to placing inflatable dolls in the passenger seat to avoid fines for driving alone in car pool lanes.

Via Reuters, the only website to report the news. Anyone can confirm that this is not a hoax?