Drivers have plenty to get excited about regarding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) push for anti-drunk driving technology. The agency sought to enact new rules this year requiring new passenger vehicles to have advanced technology aimed at preventing impaired driving.
In a notice, NHTSA discussed its own research efforts on vehicle safety technologies, which include:
Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety program
The DADSS program develops non-invasive technology that can measure blood or breath alcohol accurately, precisely and rapidly. It explores two approaches:
- Touch sensor: Measures blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from capillaries in the driver’s palms
- Breath sensor: Measures alcohol and carbon dioxide levels in a driver’s breath
The program utilizes a technique called “infrared spectroscopy.”
Driver monitoring of Inattention and Impairment using Vehicle Equipment program
The DrIIVE program involves two separate tracks of research:
- Detection: Develops and evaluates a system of vehicle-based algorithms to identify alcohol, drowsiness and distraction impairment
- Mitigation: Develops an alert system for drivers using vibrations or sound
For now, research focuses on aiding drowsy drivers, with efforts to mitigate intoxication also underway.
Information requests on impaired driving technologies
NHTSA has been collecting information on the capabilities and limitations of impaired driving technologies that are available or in advanced stages of development. It has sought information on technologies that can monitor or measure:
- Driver behavior or responses through vehicle movements during lane keeping and sudden maneuvers
- Driver impairment in a direct manner
- Driver’s physical measures of impairment through methods like eye tracking
- Driver’s physiological indicators linked to impaired driving
NHTSA summarized the 12 responses to its initial request in the notice.
Conducting technology reviews
NHTSA has ordered two independent reviews of public information about impairment detection:
- Review of Technology to Prevent Alcohol- and Drug-Impaired Crashes: Updates the 2007 evaluation of vehicular technology alternatives to detect BAC and alcohol-impaired driving
- Assessment of Driver Monitoring Systems for Alcohol Impairment Detection and Level 2 Automation: Reports on data monitoring systems for alcohol impairment detection
Additional driver monitoring research
NHTSA has also been looking into using automated driving technology to monitor and support impaired drivers.
The safety organization’s new strategy aims for zero deaths from impaired driving. By staying updated on these government efforts and policies, drivers can take a more active role in preventing impaired driving accidents.