The Infrastructure Bill Requires New Car Tech to Prevent Drunk Driving

Under the Biden administration’s $1 trillion infrastructure package, a mandate requires automakers to install new technology in vehicles to prevent motorists from driving intoxicated. As reported by the Associated Press, with the provision, Congress is pushing for the monitoring systems to begin rolling out in new vehicles no later than 2026. 

Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which includes $17 billion toward auto safety, and President Joe Biden will be signing the bill into law soon. It is worth noting that this funding allocated for road safety programs is the largest in decades. The bill could create more protected bike paths with busy roadways featuring greener spaces, says Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. And it comes as automotive-related fatalities began ticking upward after decades of improvement.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the first half of 2021, an estimated 20,160 people have died in traffic collisions. Not only are traffic-related deaths higher compared to the first half of 2006, but impaired driving during the pandemic is among the factors accounting for the increase. In the U.S. alone, approximately 10,000 people die every year due to fatal car accidents involving alcohol.

While there are no specifics, the mandated technology in future models 2026 and beyond needs to “passively monitor the performance of a driver of a motor vehicle to accurately identify whether that driver may be impaired.” As of now, some drivers convicted of drunk driving must use a breathalyzer device that connects to the car ignition interlock. If their blood alcohol level is exceedingly high when they blow into the tube, the vehicle is automatically disabled.

General Motors, BMW, and Nissan have already started installing infrared cameras that monitor driver behavior. These cameras track driver attentiveness and use semi-automated driver-assist systems. Making sure drivers keep their eyes on the road, they look for indications of impairment, drowsiness, or loss of consciousness. If any of these behaviors are detected, a warning alerts the driver and only escalates if said behaviors continue. Hazard lights come on, speed decreases, and the vehicle either comes to a halt or pulls over to the side of the road. 

Guidehouse Insights principal mobility analyst Sam Abuelsamid says infrared camera technology is a more practical solution than breathalyzers. Many will likely object to the enforcement of breathing into a tube to start their car. 

Additionally, the infrastructure bill requires that all car manufacturers install rear-seat reminders. This safety feature alerts parents if a child (or object that weighs as much as a child) is in the back seat, a mandate that could be put in effect by 2025. Other vehicle safety requirements include automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning as standard equipment, which most automakers already make standard. 

Following an assessment by the Transportation Department on how to best introduce the proposed technology, automakers will be allowed the time necessary to meet compliance. 

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