1. Future Vehicle-Based Alcohol Detection Systems
August 22, 2007 • Washington, DC
Ron Medford
Senior Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety
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2. Alcohol-Related Fatalities & Rate (per 100M VMT) 1982 – 2006
The 2006 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatalities and Injuries shows that 17,602 people were killed in the United States in alcohol-related motor vehicles traffic crashes – essentially unchanged from the 17,590 alcohol-related fatalities in 2005.
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3. Development of Advanced Alcohol Sensing Technology
Cooperative research and development effort
NHTSA and Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS)
5-Year Effort
NHTSA contributing up to $1M per year with ACTS matching or exceeding NHTSA’s contribution
Concept
In-vehicle capability to detect impairment before vehicle can be operated
Significant technical and public acceptance challenge
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4. Potential Technical Areas of Promise
Volpe conducted a technology review
Potential technologies include:
Tissue Spectroscopy
Transdermal Detectors
Ethanol Vapor Detectors
Ocular Measures
Tissue Spectroscopy
In limited production for clinical and evidential use
Superior accuracy and specificity
Not yet established that can work on hand
Requires large reduction in size and cost as well as faster response to be viable as interlock
Transdermal Detectors
Measure ethanol in perspiration
Commercially available
Several thousand in use under court mandates
Ethanol Vapor Detectors
Vehicle mounted detection system that send short-range signals to police at checkpoint
Potentially easy to circumvent
Contamination problem
Occular Measures
Horizontal gaze nystagmus – accepted element of field sobriety test, but difficult and expensive to automate
Pupilometry (Pictured) – known devices are expensive; eyes must be shielded from ambient light to obtain valid results; better for drugs than alcohol
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5. Comparison Matrix for Primary- Interlock Applications
Criteria
Technologies
Accuracy
(sensitivity)
Cost
(per unit)
Development
Time
Convenience
Circumvention
Risk
Technical
Tissue
Spectroscopy
+++ ? - --
BAIID ++ +
Transdermal
Environmental
Vapor
---
Ocular
From Volpe’s Research, this chart shows a comparison of these different technologies with respect to accuracy, cost, development time, convenience, circumvention risk and technical risk.
The positive signs are all best case scenario, for example, tissue spectroscopy is the best as far as accuracy, while also being extremely convenient and has a low risk of circumvention.
Scale: +++ Best to ---Worst
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6. Challenges for Public Acceptance
Costs
Reliability
Execute within specified margin and no tolerance for faulty performance
Maintenance
Low/no maintenance
Self-calibrate
Easy to use and transparent to the driver
No special effort/action required on part of driver
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7. Intermediate Steps with Advanced Technology
Vehicle technologies that can detect impairment are being developed
What is the appropriate action if the vehicle detects an impaired driver during operation?
August 2007 – Nissan announced a concept car featuring multiple preventative features
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8. Facial Recognition System
Nissan’s Concept Car
Alcohol Odor Sensors
Facial Recognition System
Presently integrated on-board a production model Fuga sedan, the various technologies are designed to detect the driver's state of sobriety and to activate a range of preventive measures including immobilization of the vehicle.
Alcohol Odor Sensors
1. A hi-sensitivity alcohol odor sensor is built into the transmission shift knob, which is able to detect the presence of alcohol in the perspiration of the driver's palm as he or she attempts to start driving. When the alcohol-level detected is above the pre-determined threshold, the system automatically locks the transmission, immobilizing the car. A “drunk driving” voice alert is also issued via the car navigation system.
2. Additional alcohol odor sensors are also incorporated into the driver’s and passenger seats to detect the presence of alcohol in the air inside the vehicle cabin. When alcohol is detected, the system issues both a voice alert and a message alert on the navigation system monitor.
Facial Recognition System
A camera is mounted on the instrument cluster facing the driver to monitor the driver’s face. The system is calibrated to monitor the driver's state of consciousness through the blinking of the eyes. When the system detects signs of drowsiness, a voice and message alert is triggered via the navigation system. Additionally, a seat-belt mechanism is activated which tightens around the driver to gain his or her immediate attention.
Driving Behavior
By constantly monitoring the operational behavior of the vehicle (e.g. sensing if the vehicle is veering out of its driving lane), the system can identify signs of inattentiveness or distraction in the driver. When the system detects such behavior, voice and message alerts are issued via the navigation system. The seat-belt alert mechanism is also activated, tightening around the driver to gain immediate attention.
Driving Behavior
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