The car stops if drunk drunk

A group of students in Mexico develops a car-mounted system that automatically stops the car if it detects high levels of alcohol in the driver's blood.

Cars stop drunk driving

The Alcostop automatic safety system is powered by sensors located on the steering wheel, lever and seat. These sensors will determine if the driver is drunk or not through the sweat secreted. If the driver is found drunk, the engine will be disabled and the car can not operate.

Students are studying the operation of the Alcostop system. (Photo: Investigación y Desarrollo)

Cintalapa Institute of Technology students simultaneously develop a mobile application that informs the location of the disabled vehicle to the family or friends of the rider, using the GPS navigation system.

Project Manager Karla Isabel Sánchez says the system is easy to use and cost effective. "We are researching and improving the sensors so that they can be used effectively in the case of people with less perspiration and for accurate results," the Science Daily quoted Karla as saying. The student group aims to complete the project by the end of the year.

Traffic accidents caused by alcohol are a serious problem in Mexico. According to the National Institute for Statistics, Geography and Informatics of Mexico, about 77,000 accidents occur each year.