Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, otherwise known as DADSS, is hoping to control drunk driving.
DADSS is a new technology that was invented to help determine whether or not a driver is intoxicated and it works in a way that eliminates the need for a breathalyzer.
This technology is the result of a research partnership between the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS), which represents 17 automobile manufacturers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to assess and develop alcohol-detection technology to prevent impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.
The purpose of DADSS is to explore the feasibility and the potential benefits and challenges that are often associated with a more wide-spread use of in-vehicle technology to prevent drunk driving.
The new technology that is currently being developed is breath and touch sensors that can determine a person’s blood alcohol level and, in turn, disable a vehicle if the level is above the legal limit of .08.
A study from the NHTSA that was published in March 2014 revealed that 25% of drunk driving arrests were from repeat offenders.
Though that’s an outstanding statistic, there is good news and that is that drunk driving rates are falling in the United States and have gone down 30% since 2014.
Essentially, the DADSS program is centered on researching advanced driver assist technology that will be made available in future new vehicles.
To that note, currently 21 states – including Alabama, Illinois and New York – require the use of ignition interlock, which is a breathalyzer that controls the ignition of a car.
The ignition interlock isn’t fool-proof; however, the DADSS technology is much more effective than the former.
Take a look at this video:
DADSS is showing a lot of promise thanks to its advanced technology. It’s the hope that one day DADSS will be included as an optional safety feature for purchase in new cars.
Copyright Inventionland, 2015
Sources:
https://mashable.com/2015/07/27/schumer-drunk-driving/
https://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety/DADSS
Media:
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2826/11064883376_82cb9baf63_o_d.jpg
