Car manufacturers Nissan and Toyota are currently working on technology that could put an end to driving under the influence of alcohol. The technology can detect the presence of alcohol through a person’s skin. These “transdermal alcohol sensors” in the steering wheel of a car measure the driver’s alcohol content through the person’s fingers. An awesome video regarding this and other technology can be seen here. I don’t know what happens if the driver is wearing gloves because it is cold or how consumers are going to react when this technology fails and shuts his or her car down without reason, but I know that certain groups will be pushing to make this technology mandatory in all vehicles.
I have blogged about the technological advancements we can expect in Kansas DUI prevention and enforcement before (here). There are all sorts of inventions coming on to the market now that will allow law enforcement officers to gain information quickly, including flashlights that will take a driver’s picture, make video and audio recordings and test the air around his or her mouth for alcohol without the driver knowing it. Facial and retinal scanning devices are already being used in many places.
Some are all for this use of technology and many are against it due to the loss of privacy and the propensity of this kind of sensitive equipment to fail or give a false positive. Like it or not, though, it is coming and it will effect the enforcement and litigation of Kansas DUI cases in the very near future.