Concept Car Aims To Cut Down Drunk Driving

[Cpl Kendall]

CNN

OPPAMA, Japan (Reuters) -- Beer-breaths beware.

A new concept car with breathalyser-like detection systems may provide even greater traction for Japanese efforts to keep impaired drivers off the road.

Nissan's alcohol-detection sensors check odor, sweat and driver awareness, issuing a voice alert from the navigation system and locking up the ignition if necessary.

Odor sensors on the driver and passenger seats read alcohol levels, while a detector in the gear-shift knob measures the perspiration of the driver's palm when starting the car.

Other carmakers with detection systems include Sweden's Volvo , which has developed technology in which drivers blow into a measuring unit in the seat belt before an engine can start.

But Nissan's car includes a mounted camera that monitors alertness by eye scan, ringing bells and issuing a voice message in Japanese or English if a driver should pull over and rest.

The car technology is still in development, but general manager Kazuhiro Doi says the combination of detection systems will ultimately keep an eye on who's behind the wheel.

"We've placed odor detectors and a sweat sensor on the gear shift, but for example if the gear-shift sensor was bypassed by a passenger using it instead of the driver, the facial recognition system would be used," said Doi.

Also keeping a short leash on drivers, car seat belts tighten if drowsiness is detected, while an on-road monitor checks if a car is keeping its lane properly.

Japan's No. 3 carmaker has no specific timetable for marketing, but aims to yoke all technology to cut the number of fatalities involving its vehicles to half 1995 levels by 2015.

Nissan's Doi says they still have to distil exactly what impairment means: "If you drink one beer, it's going to register, so we need to study what's the appropriate level for the system to activate."

We have ignition interlocks here for people on probation for DUI. You have to blow into them and if you register zero alcohol content then you can start your car but this is a new direction.

[B4UTRUST]

Yeah, and it's a stupidly designed system.

One, the way the sensors are set up in the car overall, not just the shifter, it could detect a high level of alcohol in the passengers and prevent the car from engaging. Sucks if I'm a DD.

Two - Gloves. Wow, now your multi-billion dollar research is worthless as I've circumvented it by a $5 pair of gloves that don't sweat.

Three - Emergencies. Regardless of the circumstances of being drunk, there are those rare occassions where you absolutely HAVE to drive. I would certainlly hate to be try to be rushing someone to the hospital and my car won't start because I've had a couple beers.

Four - if the individual goes into a bar and slams down a bunch of beers or shots and leaves before it starts to metabolise, he won't be sweating the alcohol yet. A very dangerous situation when you think about it. Does the car shut down when it suddenly detects an elevated level of alcohol in your sweat? What happens if it happens on the middle of the freeway? Does it kill your car at 80mph? How fucked are you?

This is good in theory, but I don't think it will work like everyone hopes it will.