QinetiQ North America has developed a system for cars that measure the amount of alcohol that’s in a driver’s blood. Sensors that test breath are installed in the cabin and take respiratory samples from the air, and sensors on the steering wheel and door locks analyze whether a drivers BAC from skin samples will allow the driver to start the car.
While the politics of this type of technology may be explosive, I believe most Americans agree that drunk driving is a bad thing. Its most promising attribute is that it can keep a person from developing a driving habit that becomes a way of life. For a moment let’s extend the logic. Since alcohol usually involves all sorts of bad decision-making, what about bicycles or roller-skates that can’t be used when the BAC is above a certain level. These items and others that benefit from this type of technology don’t have to be mandatory, but could be an option for parents and others wanting this type of assistance. Blaming things on the” ac, a a ac alcohol” doesn’t always need to be an option. For more on this type of technology, go to http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/
I think this is real interesting, but what if the driver is sober and he or she has a car-load of drunk friends? Would the sensors detect the alcohol from the friends and prevent the car from starting?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I too believe this would be a problem,especially if they are doing lots of talking near the drivers personal space. Other issues could be alcohol-based products like mouthwash, shaving cream to name a few. Even the sensors on the steering wheel that utilize the skin have drawbacks, diabetics may give the system issues. Controlling all the variables will be a major hurdle for this type of technology.
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