Recently the newly formed infrastructure bill details about vehicles being equipped with sensors are much lesser-known. It could detect when a driver is impaired and stop the car from being started. Knowing that thousands of lives either get into accidents because of driving in a drunk state or in a state they are not fully aware of their surroundings.
In the US, every 52 minutes someone dies due to drunk driving. It is, indeed, one of the most common causes of road accidents which seems many drivers are unaware of its consequences. Click here to know what to do and who you need to call if you have been involved in a DUI case.Being accounted for almost one-third of all accidents on roads, the situation is now being addressed by Congress. Congress seems to think that automakers are not doing enough to avoid such incidents. In a new $1 trillion infrastructure bill, they plan to introduce technology by 2026. This technology will be able to stop drunk driving by large percentages. And reduce the accidents as there wouldn’t be as many drunk-driving cases as earlier.
In recent times, automakers have been working on autonomous features. While Tesla has recently released its driver-assist features to its users, it is still not compulsory. According to the new bill, all cars must be equipped with sensors, so they can stop a person when they are drunk-driving and not start the vehicle. This mandate joins other such measures being taken by the government in the US. All of them are aimed at improving auto safety in the country.
This new rule comes along as in the last month the NHTSA observed that there was a highest six-month increase in road fatalities. In the first half of 2021, there were more accidents than ever in the past. Hence according to the new rule, as early as 2026, vehicles in the US will be equipped with new technology. This time is enough for the department of Transportation enough time to do its own research.
In the last decade, some features have been appearing in certain vehicles. Volvo is among one them to integrate driver monitoring cameras and sensors in 2019. Also, other car brands like BMW, Nissan, and General Motors also seem to be working on installing such features. Such sensors will track the attentiveness of the driver and would activate the driver-assist feature.
