Congress Makes Anti-Drunk Driving Tech Mandatory

How do you stop someone from driving when they’re drunk? Short of forcibly taking away their keys, there’s really not much one can do. However, Congress has created a new requirement for carmakers, and that is to include anti-drunk driving technology in their vehicles that would prevent them from being operated if the driver is drunk.

The Transportation Department is expected to assess the best forms of technology available, and it is expected to come into effect in 2026. This means that vehicles sold after that will need to come with the technology preinstalled in them.

Right now, there are technologies that can measure a person’s blood alcohol level before they can start their cars. However, this is largely optional for most people, but it is a requirement for those who have been charged or convicted of drunk driving. The US government has actually been looking into making this a requirement since at least 2008, but now we have a more concrete date to look forward to.

While it is unclear which tech will ultimately be used, some believe it could come in the form of infrared cameras that are already being used by some carmakers designed to track the driver’s attentiveness. 2026 is still quite a ways away, but it’s something that we can look forward to in the future.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Transportation
Tags: Legal, safety, Social Hit