Matsushita Electric Industrial today announced that one of its subsidiaries, Matsushita Battery Industrial(MBI) is now ready to mass produce a new type of lithium-ion battery, which incorporates new technology improving safety. According to MBI, its new technology improves safety by forming a heat resistance layer (HRL) consisting of an insulating metal oxide on the surface of the electrodes. Even if a short-circuit occurs in these batteries, it will cease without causing the battery to overheat, instead of overheating and even burning in standart lithium-ion batteries. Matsushita currently holds 119 patents.