US Auto-safety regulators have taken a major step towards potentially saving thousands of lives on American roads by initiating the process to require carmakers to adopt new technology that can prevent intoxicated drivers from starting their vehicles.
In 2021, Congress directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to mandate a passive technology aimed at averting more than 10,000 road deaths annually. The law requires a technology safety standard to be set by November 2024 if the technology is deemed ready.
Several technologies currently under development could potentially prevent impaired individuals from starting a vehicle, including breath- or touch-based sensors to detect alcohol, as well as using cameras to monitor eye movements to determine driver intoxication.
However, the NHTSA must ensure that the technology is effective before requiring its implementation, and it would give automakers at least three years to implement it once the rules are finalized. NHTSA administrator, Ann Carlson, emphasized the need for the technology to be accurate as there are close to 1 billion daily driving journeys in the United States.
On Tuesday, the NHTSA published an “advance notice of proposed rulemaking” to begin the process of gathering information on how such technology could be developed and required. The regulatory notice details the research and technological advancements needed to finalize regulations and options for potential rules, citing “Blood alcohol content detection, impairment-detection (driver monitoring), or a combination”.
Tess Rowland, the president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), expressed the group’s satisfaction with NHTSA’s launch, emphasizing that there is still much work to be done to prevent drunk driving-related fatalities.
In 2021, 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths, the most recent statistics available. However, Carlson will tell a US House of Representatives committee on Wednesday that US traffic deaths fell 4.5% in the first nine months of the year after sharply rising during the Covid-19 pandemic, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the ongoing challenge of reducing road fatalities.
The move towards implementing technology to prevent drunk driving is seen as a significant step in promoting road safety and preventing unnecessary loss of life due to impaired driving.