The Guardian DEC 2023 / by Blake Montgomery / Read original article
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has begun process to force adoption of technology, as long as it works
US auto-safety regulators announced Tuesday that they had begun the process that would eventually force carmakers to adopt new technology to prevent intoxicated drivers from starting vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an “advance notice of proposed rulemaking” to start gathering information and public comments on how to develop, legally require and deploy technology to prevent impaired people from firing up their vehicles.
“Please bring your best ideas, your research – let’s join together to advance as quickly as we can the next technology in impaired driving prevention,” said the deputy transportation secretary, Polly Trottenberg.
The NHTSA’s regulatory notice summarizes existing research and details what technological advancements would be needed to finalize regulations and options for potential rules, citing “blood alcohol content detection, impairment-detection (driver monitoring), or a combination”.
In 2021, Congress directed the NHTSA to mandate a passive technology to try to avert more than 10,000 road deaths annually. In 2021, 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired traffic collisions, the most recent statistics available. The law requires a technology safety standard by November 2024 if the technology is ready.
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