The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to consider having all new vehicles equipped with in-cabin drunk driver detection technology that would restrict or prohibit a person from driving their vehicles.
The recommendation was made following a major accident in Avenal, California on the first day of 2021 that killed nine people, including seven children. According to the NTSB report, the accident was provoked by an SUV driver who was under the influence of alcohol and exceeded the speed limit.
“Technology could have prevented the crash, just as it can prevent the tens of thousands of deaths from drunk driving and speeding accidents that occur every year in the US,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is the leading cause of injury accidents on highways. Since 2000, more than 230,000 people in the US have died in drunk driving accidents. In 2020 alone, about 11,654 deaths were recorded – 30 percent of all fatal road accidents were caused by drunk drivers.
The NTSB is also interested in lowering the BAC limit to 0.05 g/dL or lower.
Interestingly, the Swedish automaker Volvo recently announced the release of an electric car equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect drunk driving. The Volvo EX90 will be unveiled on November 9 and is designed to replace the company’s current flagship, the XC90 SUV (Volvo plans to switch to all-electric cars by 2030).
Well
Frontend distribution
Earn $1800 already in two weeks and learn at the right time
REGISTER!
The new electric car will feature “one of the most advanced sensor suites on the market,” according to Volvo, including eight cameras, five radars, 16 ultrasonic sensors and an advanced lidar sensor. The latter will be installed on the roof of the EX90 and will help the driver avoid external obstacles, while two cameras inside the car will monitor the driver’s eye behavior to determine if he has lost focus.
If the driver is distracted, the cameras will pick up the distraction and the car will issue a series of warnings designed to bring attention back to the road. If the driver does not react in any way, the car will slowly stop and turn on the alarm.
The EX90 will also be the first model to feature Volvo’s new advanced Ride Pilot driver assistance system, which will allow the car to drive on the highway without driver input. This feature will be available in California on a subscription basis pending state regulatory approval.
Source: Techspot , The Verge
