US President Joe Biden is soon to sign a $ 1 trillion project to improve road safety, according to the LA Times. By 2026, all new vehicles will be equipped with monitoring systems for stopping drunk drivers. This will happen after the US Department of Transportation determines which technology is optimal for installation in millions of vehicles, and the automakers are given time to implement it.
What technology will be used is still unknown. The bill, which Congress approved, says only that she must "passively monitor the work of the driver of the vehicle in order to accurately determine if he is intoxicated." According to analysts, the most likely is the introduction of infrared cameras that track the behavior of the driver. The technology is already being implemented by automakers such as General Motors, BMW and Nissan to create partially automated driver assistance systems.
Cameras monitor the road for the driver and detect signs of drowsiness, loss of consciousness, or deterioration. When such signs are detected, the car warns the driver, and if his behavior remains potentially risky, the car turns on the hazard lights, slows down and pulls over to the side of the road.
In total, about $ 17 billion will be allocated to new road safety programs in the United States, the largest increase in such funding in decades. Experts call the new measures "the beginning of the end for drunk driving." It is estimated that about 10,000 people die each year in alcohol-related accidents in the United States. This is almost a third of all fatal accidents.