Way back during “Shark Tank” Season 1, the Sharks were presented with the Lifebelt, a car safety device created by Robert Allison. When installed, the Lifebelt prevents a car from starting unless all passengers have their seatbelts buckled. If a seatbelt is unbuckled while the engine is running, it causes the radio to turn off and an alarm to play until it is buckled.
Inspired by a personal loss, Allison created Lifebelt as a way to prevent future tragedies, particularly those involving teen drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about half of those killed in car accidents in 2023 weren’t wearing a seatbelt. They also estimate that over 2,000 of the nearly 24,000 victims may have survived had they been buckled in. The simple but potentially life-saving nature of Lifebelt had several of the Sharks interested.
Allison received offers from Kevin O’Leary and Robert Herjavec, with Herjavec making the first million-dollar offer of the entire series, though both wanted the patent itself to make deals with the major automobile manufacturers to implement the technology in their vehicles. However, in a shocking decision, Allison declined both offers, citing his desire to sell Lifebelt directly to consumers and establish it as a national brand. In the end, Allison walked away empty-handed, but Lifbelt would carry on –- at least for a little bit.
What happened to the Lifebelt after Shark Tank?
Soon after “Shark Tank,” it was reported that Allison had made a $1.7 million dollar deal with a major auto dealership chain in Texas called Gillman Automotive Group that allowed the company to sell Lifebelt to customers. However, all the information we have about this comes from Allison himself, who received a brief follow-up segment later in Season 1, Episode 14, discussing Lifebelt’s progress up to that point. Furthermore, Gillman’s website does not include any mention of Lifebelt or Allison.
What is clear is that Lifebelt is no longer in business. Its Facebook page hasn’t been updated since 2010, and the product’s old URL, www.nobucklenostart.com, now brings you to a website focused on vehicle safety topics. According to Robert Allison’s LinkedIn page, his time as owner of LIFEBELT Inc. ended in 2016, at which point he started a new job as CEO of AQSWW. There’s no other information on the company listed, though, which means we can’t confirm whether it’s accurate or if he’s still working there as of 2026.
As for O’Leary and Herjavec’s offers, they were criticized by other investors for trying to buy a patent that wouldn’t actually be worth much. As David S. Rose of Rose Tech Ventures pointed out, the technology to prevent a car from starting when occupants are unbuckled has existed for decades. For a brief time, new cars were even required to include this technology, though Congress quickly reversed the mandate due to overwhelming public backlash that even prompted a response from then-President Gerald Ford. With hindsight in mind, Lifebelt’s “Shark Tank” offers look like a missed opportunity for Allison but a huge dodged bullet for the Sharks.
