Toyota Creating Anti-Drunk Driving Device

[exfileme]

Toyota is testing a system that will detect alcohol levels in the driver's breath and lock the ignition.

Toyota Creating Anti-Drunk Driving Device : Read more

 

[chaohsiangchen]

Good development. They need to develop devices to detect driver's condition, and, if necessary, stop the car and call 911 for assistance. Given the aging population in Japan, Europe and US/Canada, more people will need this kind of protection. Imaging driving at high speed when getting a heart attack, a stroke or loss of conscious due to low blood pressure. That's terrible, but I believe technology can make it preventable.

 

[ssalim]

I'm more worried about being hit by a teen driving while texting.
Can they make a thing that emits EMP every x seconds while also shielding the car? heh.

 

[ukgooey]

What about making BMW drivers retake their driving tests annually? That would make the roads a safer place and save many more lives. And there would be no need for this costly development! The simplest solutions are always the best

 

[jhansonxi]

An IQ test would be just as effective.

 

[ssalim]

No, IQ has nothing to do with stupidity or carelessness.
I can be the smartest guy in the universe but I can be careless and drive while drunk or texting.

Retake driving test annually? it's a hassle unless it's a law -- and why only BMW drivers?

 

[IzzyCraft]

[citation][nom]ssalim[/nom]I'm more worried about being hit by a teen driving while texting.Can they make a thing that emits EMP every x seconds while also shielding the car? heh.[/citation]
Too bad cellphone jammers are illegal in the US else I'd put a really short range one in every teenagers car.

 

[steiner666]

ok, so this technology is based under the assumption that the person who breathes into the device will be the one driving... yeah, theres no way around that....

 

[Kaiser_25]

I think that cell phones are on par with the dangers of drunk driving...think how many times have you seen a car drifting or swerving only to see its someone on a cell, or texting etc. its bad!!

 

[Greg_77]

[citation][nom]ukgooey[/nom]What about making BMW drivers retake their driving tests annually? That would make the roads a safer place and save many more lives. And there would be no need for this costly development! The simplest solutions are always the best[/citation]

Little jealous of BMW owners, eh?

 

[Guest]

Everyone get your car loaded with some breath loaded fartbags!
You know, where ever there's a lock, there's a way to circumvent it.
Will this become the new DRM for driving?

 

[Guest]

Driving while old is worse than driving while drunk. I'll be sober tomorrow, but grandpa will still be swerving all over the place. It also may be considered sexist to say that women can't drive, but I've honestly never met one that could

 

[ravenware]

?
This seems kinda silly. Treating grown people like children, it is ridiculous. If this becomes popular enough and installed into newer vehicles people aren't going to respond well at all; they're just going to disable the systems or boycott the manufacturers.

Its one thing the actually protect people it quite another to treat people like babies and make them feel like they're guilty until proven innocent.

 

[laweinhander]

Why does everyone always say they are worried about teenagers texting and driving? ... Are 40 year olds better at texting and driving then teenagers, or am i missing something?

 

[gekko668]

That is a good start. They need to develop an anti road rage device so those stupid people can stay off the road.

 

[derek2006]

Well I think they just lost all potential customers for this vehicle who like to drink.

 

[njalterio]

[citation] According to Toyota, the company has installed the new system on selected trucks and other vehicles, and will begin testing tomorrow, September 1; the test will conclude on November 30.[/citation]

Sounds like a fun three months of work for someone! Paid for drinking on the job....

 

[tanderskey]

[citation][nom]steiner666[/nom]ok, so this technology is based under the assumption that the person who breathes into the device will be the one driving... yeah, theres no way around that....[/citation]

well the article did say "The system comprises of a hand-held unit that provides a breathalyzer and a digital camera to identify the driver's face." so that camera's photo may be helpful while reviewing an accident or driving offense later. or perhaps photo recognition tech will be the next layer.

of course, creative people eventually find ways around these things. perhaps someone else will come up with a "charcoal filter" of some sort to clean one's breath in the event they have one of these doo-dads gripped to their Toyota's ignition?

... but also agreeing with derek2006 that maybe heavy drinkers with bad judgment will buy other cars (which might result in Toyota owners awarded cheaper insurance).

 

[amnotanoobie]

If they could skip the hand-held breathalyzer and make it check the air around instead, I could see this working. Damn them if I need to get my breathalyzer every time if I need to get to work or buy something at the grocery.

 

[fuser]

[citation][nom]ravenware[/nom]?This seems kinda silly. Treating grown people like children, it is ridiculous. If this becomes popular enough and installed into newer vehicles people aren't going to respond well at all; they're just going to disable the systems or boycott the manufacturers. Its one thing the actually protect people it quite another to treat people like babies and make them feel like they're guilty until proven innocent.[/citation]
The big problem is that most people are idiots. Tens of thousands of people are killed by drunk drivers in the United States every year. Adults have shown time and time again that they're not capable of making rational decisions.