Takata-Trutouch develops alcohol detection system for cars

The touch-based Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety system analyzes the blood alcohol content detected in the capillaries. Courtesy of Takata-Trutouch.

Takata-Trutouch has announced the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), a touch-based system that uses optical spectroscopyto measure alcohol in the driver’s tissue.

The technology broadens the options for an integrated system that can reliably prevent drunk driving while remaining invisible to any driver under the legal limit. It analyzes the blood alcohol content detected in the capillaries by shining an IR light on the driver’s skin, which is then reflected back to the skin’s surface where it is collected by the touch pad.

The touch pad can be installed somewhere natural to the driver, such as the vehicle start button. Manufacturers are also working to ensure that the car can accurately detect when someone other than the driver is operating the vehicle.

The system focuses precisely on the wavelengths where alcohol can be found. The system will be able to take multiple readings in less than a second.

Takata-Trutouch is a partnership of Trutouch, a developer of noninvasive alcohol sensing using near-infrared spectroscopy, and Takata, an automotive supplier based in Pontiac, Michigan.

Source: http://www.takata.com