Toyota Developing Drunken Driving System (1 Viewer)

[RightinNYC]

BREITBART.COM - Toyota Developing Drunken Driving System

Toyota Motor Corp. is developing a fail-safe system for cars that detects drunken drivers and automatically shuts the vehicle down if sensors pick up signs of excessive alcohol consumption, a news report said Wednesday.

Cars fitted with the detection system will not start if sweat sensors in the driving wheel detect high levels of alcohol in the driver's bloodstream, according to a report carried by the mass-circulation daily, Asahi Shimbun.

The system could also kick in if the sensors detect abnormal steering, or if a special camera shows that the driver's pupils are not in focus. The car is then slowed to a halt, the report said.

The world's No. 2 automaker hopes to fit cars with the system by the end of 2009, according to the report.

This is probably the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Talk about killing a fly with a shotgun.

First off, who is going to buy this specific model of car? Probably not frequent drunk drivers. Until this technology becomes universal, it's useless.

Secondly, this "fail-safe" system has one serious flaw:

I mean honestly. If, for some ungodly stupid reason, I as a drunk driver happen to buy this car, I'm pretty sure I'll eventually figure out that it can be thwarted by a 4 dollar set of gloves to keep my sweat from touching the wheel.

Camera that focuses on my pupils? Sunglasses.
Car shuts off if I swerve too much? How much is too much? No way it's going to be precise enough to only affect drunk drivers.

 

[Zyphlin]

"OH GOD ITS A DEER!" ::Swerve::

...."why did my car just shut down"

 

[PeteEU]

In Europe we been working on similar systems for a decade, both on national and EU level. This includes automatic stop systems to avoid crashes. But I agree, its pretty "stupid" as long as all cars are not fitted with the technology. But saying that, I would not mind have a "drunk test" in all cars, as anyone driving while drunk should be banned for life from driving.. its simply unacceptable.

 

[Volker]

Maybe it's a good idea for people who are reasonable when being sober and who are doing stupid things when being drunk. They could buy this car when being sober to protect themselves. Their families can help convincing them.

The gloves only help for a part of it, maybe a person needs sunglasses for the pupils and a kinda device for steering control and if a person is sober enough to manage all these preparations he or she is sober enough to not start the car :mrgreen:

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

It sounds as though this system will make the cars dangerous and unreliable-- whether by glitch or by false positive. There are reasons to swerve your car, visual recognition systems are tetchy, and there are plenty of ways to get alcohol on your hands.

Not to mention, there are emergencies that might make driving with a .08 or a .12 BAC safer than staying put-- and nothing in the article suggests an effective emergency override.

 

[shuamort]

Let's just make bumpercars. Big rubber bumpers around the whole car.

 

[Intransigent Atheist]

Let's just make bumpercars. Big rubber bumpers around the whole car.

That would be so cool!

 

[cherokee]

Let's just make bumpercars. Big rubber bumpers around the whole car.

Hell yeah! you got my vote......

 

[Befuddled_Stoner]

It seems pretty stupid to develop this car when their target market will go out of their way to avoid it. With all the time, money, and effort they’re putting into this, why couldn’t they just develop a car that drives itself? Not only would that eliminate practically all drunk driving accidents, I’m sure people would actually want to buy it without being sentenced in court.

 

[WI Crippler]

I doubt this car gets sold in Wisconsin. Plus everybody thinks they are better drivers when they are drunk anyway, no one is going to buy a car that tells them otherwise. and I don't know about you RightatNYU, but I usually get drunk at night, and as of yet I have not been drunk enough to wear sunglasses at night, although when I woke up the next morning there are times I wish I had.

 

[Ikari]

So long as this technology remains voluntary, than the consumer market can take care of it (I think the consumer market would condemn this piece of technology to die). The problem is if its developed and then instituted mandatory by a government.

 

[Kandahar]

First off, who is going to buy this specific model of car? Probably not frequent drunk drivers. Until this technology becomes universal, it's useless.

Judges could order people convicted of DUI to buy this type of car, or to have this equipment installed in their cars.

Secondly, this "fail-safe" system has one serious flaw:


I mean honestly. If, for some ungodly stupid reason, I as a drunk driver happen to buy this car, I'm pretty sure I'll eventually figure out that it can be thwarted by a 4 dollar set of gloves to keep my sweat from touching the wheel.

The system can be foiled if someone really makes the effort to do it...but it'll stop all of the people who drive because they don't realize how drunk, and incapable of driving, they are.

 

[Kandahar]

It seems pretty stupid to develop this car when their target market will go out of their way to avoid it. With all the time, money, and effort they’re putting into this, why couldn’t they just develop a car that drives itself? Not only would that eliminate practically all drunk driving accidents, I’m sure people would actually want to buy it without being sentenced in court.

Actually the governments of California and Nevada are researching something along those lines. There is a "test highway" being built along the state border, which has computer chips in the pavement every so many feet. If you install some kind of other computer system in the car, it can drive itself on the highway, and stop when it detects a car with a similar computer system in front of it.

Granted, it'll be several years before the technology works effectively, and several more years before it'll be universal (which it would need to be, in order to be effective).

 

[FierceEnigma12z]

Actually the gloves are $3.50...thanks.