Autoliv, a manufacturer and developer of automotive safety systems for automotive manufacturers, has announced that the company has been chosen to participate in the second phase of the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) program as a research partner.
The program is being co-sponsored by the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) and the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). ACTS is being funded by several vehicle manufacturers such as Chrysler, General Motors, Hyundai, Jaguar, BMW, Ford, Honda, Kia, Mercedes Benz, Mazda, Land Rover, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Volvo, Volkswagen, Toyota and Porsche. The Autoliv project manager, Hakan Pettersson expressed the excitement at being chosen as partner by NHTSA and ACTS by stating that Autoliv is looking forward to applying technology used in demonstration vehicles in real-world testing and is confident that any challenges can be overcome with advanced technology. It is estimated that the second phase of the project will be completed in two years.
To estimate the blood alcohol content in the impaired driver’s breath, Autoliv will use infrared spectroscopy as the primary sensing technology to ensure system reliability and accuracy at a low cost and low maintenance.
The program manager of DADSS, Susan A Ferguson stated that an estimated one-third of traffic fatalities are due to alcohol-impaired drivers. The aim of developing an advanced alcohol level-detection technology is to prevent drivers from operating the vehicle if their blood alcohol content (BAC) is above or equal to the permitted limit of 0.08%. A projected 8000 lives can be potentially saved in the USA once the technology has been developed.
Autoliv has 80 facilities worldwide and technical centers in 11 countries. The company manufactures and develops seatbelts, airbags, safety electronics, anti-whiplash systems, steering wheels, seat components and active safety systems that include radar and night vision systems.