Automatic safety belt release

A method to release a seatbelt in a vehicle automatically, the method comprising:

• presenting a system to release a seatbelt in a vehicle automatically, where the system includes a seatbelt sensor, mishap sensors, a controller, and a guillotine unit,
• where the seatbelt sensor is configured to determine whether mating pieces of the seatbelt are fastened together,
• where the mishap sensors include at least one of a surround sensor to detect motion of the vehicle, a heat sensor to detect heat conditions for a fire, and a water sensor to detect immersion of the vehicle in water,
• where the controller is configured to communicate signals with the seatbelt sensor and mishap sensors, and
• where the guillotine unit is configured to receive signals from the controller, where the guillotine unit includes a webbing guide, a gas chamber having a supply of pressurized gas, and a gas supply line connected between the webbing guide and the gas chamber, where the webbing guide includes a guide housing having therein a piston spring positioned about a piston and a blade attached to the piston at a position that is configured to be above a seatbelt webbing of the seatbelt, where the guillotine unit is responsive to signals from the controller and where the piston is responsive to the supply of pressurized gas such that when the supply of pressurized gas is passed from the gas chamber through the gas supply line to the piston, the supply of pressurized gas overcomes forces from the spring and causes the piston to move the blade through the seatbelt webbing to slice through seatbelt webbing;
• determining whether a driver seatbelt is connected;
• if driver seatbelt is connected, then using the mishap sensors to determine whether a mishap has occurred to the vehicle;
• if a mishap has occurred to the vehicle, then receiving a mishap signal in the controller from a mishap sensor;
• allowing a predetermined amount of time to pass;
• receiving a cut signal in the guillotine unit from the controller after the predetermined amount of time has passed;
• and
• passing the blade through the seatbelt webbing to slice through seatbelt webbing.