Congress has laced yet another mandate into the $1 trillion infrastructure package President Biden will soon sign. Automakers will be required to find a high-tech way to prevent drunk people from driving vehicles.
The Transportation Department will first assess the best technology to install in millions of vehicles and give automakers time to comply. Vehicles could start rolling out as soon as 2026.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Eno Center for Transportation claims the $17 billion allotted for road safety programs is the biggest increase to this type of funding in decades.
Around 10,000 people are killed in drunk driving accidents each year, making up almost 30% of all traffic fatalities.
Currently, the only type of impaired driving device available is a breathalyzer. These are installed onto vehicles of those who’ve been caught and convicted of breaking the law. Attached to the ignition, the driver must blow into the device and produce an acceptable blood alcohol content before the vehicle starts.
The new legislation would require all new vehicles to have the technology, though it doesn’t specify precisely what it will look like. The only stipulation is that it must “passively monitor the performance of a driver of a motor vehicle to accurately identify whether that driver may be impaired.”
This leaves a lot of wiggle room for manufacturers to decide what “impaired” means.
Automakers like General Motors, BMW, and Nissan are already installing infrared camera technology to track driver attentiveness while using partially automated driver-assist systems.
The cameras will ensure the driver has eyes on the road. They will pay attention to driver awareness, watching for signs of drowsiness, loss of consciousness, or impairment.
If the system determines that the driver is impaired, a warning is issued. If the driver persists, the car turns on its hazard lights and pulls itself over on the side of the road.
In addition to the driver seat monitor, automakers will also be required to install rear-seat reminders to alert parents if a child is left inadvertently in the back seat.
Though the mandate could begin by 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) needs to complete its rulemaking on the issue first.
According to kindsandcars.org, about 1,000 children have died from vehicular heatstroke since 1990. The highest total in a single year was 54 in 2018.
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