Toyota getting into the anti-drunk driving game

Just days after most everyone in the world celebrated (read: ingested alcohol) the new year, Toyota is hitting us up with news declaring that drunk driving won't be tolerated in its future fleet of vehicles. Although Nissan has already considered an add-on option that would prevent inebriated individuals from motoring around on a whim, it looks like Toyota is following suit with its own anti-drunk driving approach. Reportedly, the automaker 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." Utilizing "sweat detectors," the steering wheel automatically sniffs out the driver's BAC and can restrict the car from cranking if it deems necessary; additionally, it can recognize "abnormal steering" or take advantage of the "special camera installed to monitor your pupils" in order to slow your vehicle to a halt if you're smart aware enough to wear gloves when taking the wheel. While we've no idea how much Toyota will inflate vehicle prices to account for this, um, luxury, the firm purportedly hopes to outfit its cars with the system "by the end of 2009."

[Via The Raw Feed]

[chris @ Jan 4th 2007 3:21AM]

surely this will be japan only...privacy concerns in the US will keep it out, just like self-driving features (other than parking) are blocked by fears of lawsuits

[daniel @ Jan 4th 2007 3:49AM]

while more intelligent cars are all good, I wonder what side effects it will bring. obviously the car should never shut itself down while driving on a highway or interstate to avoid accidents, but how would they know? a while ago, some other car brand claimed their new technology could predict collisions and automagically break or steer away, but how would they know that this would not cause another accident even if it manage to avoid the first one?

[kaztm @ Jan 4th 2007 4:04AM]

Always seek the original article: http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200701040119.html

(Well, THE original article was in Japanese, but I was waiting for this English translation to appear, since tipping Engadget on Japanese pages seems to attract less attention...)

[Steve Simitzis @ Jan 4th 2007 4:05AM]

Ack, no. I rarely drink and I never drive after drinking, but I really, really don't want this to exist. The potential for false positives is too high, and the last thing I need is for my car to refuse to start in an emergency when I'm cold sober but showing the wrong biometric.

[Sean @ Jan 4th 2007 4:28AM]

I never drink and drive; all of my friends know that. However, there's no way IN HELL I'd ever want my car making decisions like this for me. Just another reason I'll stick with Chevy.

[Neil @ Jan 4th 2007 4:29AM]

Sweat detectors in the steering wheel? So the solution for people who do drink and drive would be to wear gloves then?

[PeteC @ Jan 4th 2007 8:40AM]

Yeah exactly, have Toyota never heard of driving gloves or is it going to refuse to let you drive with gloves on as it needs to conduct through your skin?

[dave @ Jan 4th 2007 5:06AM]

I just wish the damn car could drive itself, then I'd get shit-faced.

[Thomas @ Jan 4th 2007 5:29AM]

Well i don’t think this idea should be disregarded straight away. It has its merits, i can see it being a welcome safety addition if the BAC was determined before the engine was started and lock out the ignition if the BAC level of the driver was above a safe level.

[David Batten @ Jan 4th 2007 6:23AM]

This and other automatic safety systems seem like they could cause liability issues for automakers. I can imagine a family suing Toyota/Nissan/whoever _not_ installing this device and claiming it could have saved someones life. I know it sucks but I'll bet they'd try.

I personally get more worried when technology makes people feel too safe and they end up getting careless.

[bcarevich @ Jan 4th 2007 8:12AM]

Nice Audi Dashboard for a Toyota article. I feel cheapened :\

[James @ Jan 4th 2007 8:39AM]

David Batten I agree with you I could see a few people thinking well if my car will let me drive it must be safe but they are not within the legal limit and the system fails. Then they are out on the road drunk, they get a ticket or worse they hit something or someone. Who is to blame then? The driver of course but do you think that would stop them from suing the auto manufacturer?

[Nick @ Jan 4th 2007 10:39AM]

Just like software companies with their user agreement liscenses why cant the auto manufacturer force you to sign a contract when you purchase the car that in the case of you driving drunk and the car not able to detect your drunken state.. they will not be held liable for your act of stupidity.

[NHAnimator @ Jan 4th 2007 8:40AM]

How would sloppy bartenders get home?

[NHAnimator @ Jan 4th 2007 8:42AM]

Actually, this seems like one of those feeler concepts that companies release. They don't actually plan on implementing it as discussed, but want to get a lot of feedback from the public to see (1) if it will work and (2) how it can be tweaked.

[ePants @ Jan 4th 2007 9:00AM]

"This and other automatic safety systems seem like they could cause liability issues for automakers."

"...I could see a few people thinking well if my car will let me drive it must be safe..."


This is _exactly_ what I was thinking as I read the article. However, most people won't see it that way. The media and powers-that-be will be too busy promoting the "latest safety feature" to consider the ramifications.

[snorkel @ Jan 4th 2007 9:00AM]

While I am more in favor of a system that would only detect sobriety before the car is started (something about the car deciding to shut itself off because of strange driving or a some sort of false biometric reading seems very bad to me), I do see one potential big positive for this system for those of us who are not in the habit of drinking and driving... Insurance savings. If my insurance company would give me a big honkin' discount because I had a car that ensured I wasn't driving while under the influence, I would definitely consider making this purchase.

I imagine a vehicle like this would also be quite appealing to (wealthier) moms and dads who are looking to get Billy his first set of wheels. I never drove while drunk when I was a stupid 16 year old, but a car that monitored my driving for absurdly stupid turning maneuvers probably would have been a good idea. ;)

[Rob @ Jan 4th 2007 9:46AM]

One time I was drunk in the desert, and these brain-eating pirates started chasing me. Thank God my car didn't have this system, or I'd have been pirate stew!

[Hans Fredrik @ Jan 4th 2007 10:13AM]

This isn't exatcly new, SAAB has had concepts with this feature for quite a while. And they will introduce it to production cars soon

[Charles R Hamilton @ Jan 4th 2007 10:27AM]

Wow, all these comments and not one "I for one welcome..." Maybe 2007 will be a good year.

[Nick @ Jan 4th 2007 10:46AM]

im sick of people being like.. I know better than to drink and drive... I dont want this crap in my car.... yeah well i know better than to be that big of an idiot too.. but obviously others dont.. in 2004 16,694 people died in alcohol related traffic incidents. Im all for every car manufacturer being forced to install smart detection of Blood Alcohol levels. If it saves lives, especially innocent lives, why not?

I agree that it would suck to have your car not start when you are sober.. but then maybe they should have 3 seperate indicators that check... checks and balances...

[Annoula @ Jan 4th 2007 12:33PM]

What I wonder is if this thing is going to go hawire in the snow? Occasionally my car does things beyond my control on snow/ice (like a very frightening 180 on the highway). Is it going to shut off and not let me at least attempt to get out of harms way on the possibility I'm driving drunk?

Seems like unless it's implemented with the utmost care... like requiring multiple things to test positive, there could be some serious issues.

[Victor Cornelius @ Jan 4th 2007 10:45PM]

There are currently 300,912,555 people in the USA, with a net gain of one person every 15 seconds.

16,694 people being killed in auto accidents is nothing compared to the overall population is hardly even a dent. We gained 3 times that many people in the same year.

Not condoning drunk driving (even though I do it), but any way you cut it this is a horrible invention and a horrible invasion of privacy.

[Kevin @ Jan 4th 2007 10:58AM]

So when I go to start my car all the time, even in the morning will I have to jump through these hoops?

Now if this thing could detect that I spent more money at Starbucks via the coffee in my system I would buy it :)

[Craig @ Jan 4th 2007 11:04AM]

I really don't think Toyota will go through with this. Even if it's a good system, people will stop buying Toyotas once Toyota's competitors start running ads showing the poor kid who lives in an area without ambulance service, who died of a seizure because his parents, having drunk a glass of wine with dinner, couldn't get him to the hospital.

Lockout devices like this may be good for the cars owned by people with multiple DUIs, but I really don't think it's a good idea for everybody else.

[Barry @ Jan 4th 2007 2:01PM]

Too bad thats an audi dash.

[wolff000 @ Jan 4th 2007 3:03PM]

Bad idea. I don't drink and drive ever. I have lost friends to drunk drivers and I’ll be damned if I do it. This may help but the false positives would make it more of a hindrance than an aid. People need to take accountability and the law should be more strict on DUI. I think an automatic license suspension for 5 years and a mandatory year in prison would deter a lot of people. We are to lax on people that get behind the wheel drunk.

[paul @ Jan 4th 2007 7:11PM]

Well, I'll never buy a Toyota again. Bunch of Nazis.