Despite the fact that the country as a whole agrees that drinking and driving is dangerous – intoxicated people get behind the wheel of their car every day and cause drunk driving accidents.
Is there really a way to prevent this? It appears not – people aren’t getting any smarter or learning from the lessons of others so auto companies are making the cars smarter. Indeed, read on for the information that follows buoys my hope that one day there will be no one on any roadway who is too drunk to drive.
Toyota vehicles to refuse drunk drivers
System in cars detects alcohol in blood, dilated pupils
The Associated Press
TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. is developing a fail-safe system for cars that detects drunk drivers and automatically shuts the vehicle down if sensors pick up signs of excessive alcohol consumption, a news report said Wednesday.
Cars fitted with the detection system will not start if sweat sensors in the driving wheel detect high levels of alcohol in the driver’s bloodstream, according to a report carried by the mass-circulation daily, Asahi Shimbun.
Too many glasses of this and the newest Toyota technology would ban you from your own vehicle. The system could also kick in if the sensors detect abnormal steering, or if a special camera shows that the driver’s pupils are not in focus. The car is then slowed to a halt, the report said.
Some 47 states currently have in-car breathalyzer laws where a driver convicted of DUI or DWI may be forced to install an “interlock” device, connected to the ignition,that monitors the amount of alcohol on a driver’s breath and prevents the car from starting with a positive reading. An interlock device is mandatory punishment for a first offender in eight states.
But it sounds like Toyota is way ahead in the game – and is preparing to come to the rescue of adults who would drive drunk – saving them from themselves. Drunk drivers account for a majority of wrongful death cases from auto accidents and anything we do to reduce the number of fatalities is a good thing.
All I can say is hurry up.
