In-vehicle equipment has come a long way over the past few years, and the next technology that could become standard in all passenger cars is the detection of drunk drivers.It sounds like it's years away, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says it has taken the first steps toward making anti-drunk driving technology a requirement.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a preview of the proposed rulemaking that it has begun gathering information on technologies to prevent drunk and impaired driving because there are currently no commercialization options.
The agency evaluated 331 driver monitoring systems and found that none of the models correctly identified whether a driver was impaired. The agency said that while there are three DMS systems that claim to detect alcohol impairment, these systems are still in the development stage.
After the notice is published in the Federal Register, the public has 60 days to submit comments.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act passed by Congress in 2021 requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop a standard to detect whether a driver is impaired by monitoring the driver's performance, detecting whether the blood alcohol content is at or above the legal limit, or a combination of the two. If the system detects that the driver's driving ability is impaired, the operation of the vehicle will be limited or restricted.
A group called Driver Alcohol Safety Detection Systems, made up of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and 16 automakers, has been studying different anti-drunk driving technologies. One such technology is designing a system to non-invasively measure alcohol content while a person is sitting in the driver's seat and breathing normally - without blowing into a breathalyzer.
Another technology the team is working on is a touch system. The system uses tissue spectroscopy to measure blood alcohol levels just below the surface of the skin by shining infrared light on the driver's fingertips or palms. The system is designed to be integrated into current car controls, such as the start button or steering wheel. Most people probably prefer this method of in-car alcohol testing.
While mandatory use of testing technology could save around 10,000 lives a year, there is expected to be pushback against these systems, especially if they are not 100% accurate. Additionally, some have questioned whether the technology can be spoofed or even hacked.
The U.S. Congress has set an initial deadline for passing the technical regulations to November 2024, but it will likely take longer to put it in place.
In September 2022, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called on all new cars to use technology to prevent drunk driving and speeding.