The recent infrastructure law included a provision mandating that, starting in a few years, all new cars must include some sort of technology to detect and prevent drunk driving.
One system that is being road-tested today involves sensors that automatically take breath samples and look for traces of alcohol, with no need to blow into a tube. Another option would be to bypass measuring blood alcohol levels directly, and instead look for signs of impairment using cameras.
In theory, a sober driver wouldn’t notice the system at all – they’d just get in their vehicle and drive like normal, without doing anything in particular. These examples of technology that could prevent drunk driving still need refinement before they’re ready for mass adoption.
Read the article at NPR.
