Volvo to release in-car breathalyzer to fight drink-driving

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Swedish automobile maker Volvo has produced a device that prevents drunk drivers from starting their cars, the company's press-service said.

Called Alcoguard, the device will go on sale at the beginning of 2008. Resembling a TV remote-control handset, the breathalyzer measures the level of alcohol in a driver's blood. If the amount exceeds the legal maximum (less than 0.2 g/l in Sweden), the car simply refuses to start.

The first two thousand models, for the Volvo S80, V70, and XC70, will retail at 800 euros (about $1,000). They are initially intended for use by taxi firms and municipalities.

"At present, one in every three [road] fatalities in Europe is alcohol-related. Alcoguard is a tool whose purpose is to help the driver make sober decisions," said Ingrid Skogsmo, director of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

The first such 'alco-locks' were introduced in the U.S. and Canada in the 1980s for control over drivers who had been convicted of drunk driving.

An in-car breathalyzer had already been announced by Japanese auto maker Nissan, whose device initially measures alcohol in the driver's breath via an odor sensor. If levels exceed norms, a female voice politely advises the driver not to start the car. If this warning is ignored, then sensors in the gear stick test the alcohol level in the sweat on the driver's palms, and if the level is excessive, the device locks the car's transmission.

Si un filmulet: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fXbbIUiueZ0

Sursa: http://en.rian.ru/business/20070904/76394186.html