There is alot to take into account before they can do something like this. You have to make sure that it is fool proof and that their are not going to be any recalls.

The biggest hurdle or potential problem that I see is the steering wheel measuring your sweat for alcohol. What if something happens and you get shocked by it because of some error. There is going to be some liability there. I will be surprised if this comes out personally.

I do not care either way because I do not drink and drive under any circumstances, so I will not have to worry about it either way.

 

I know of a few older people who _seriously_ could not pass any 'erratic steering' test...

 

Though a great idea, I think that it is a little much! Who knows though after they put the hands-free parking system on the new LS?

 

The next step is completely automated and centrally-controlled highway travel.

 

^^^ A quote straight out of the 1950's.

 

There have been road tests done on automated highway travel. I'm too lazy to research it and link to it. There have also been tests done on systems that read speed limit signs and limit your car to the posted limit. I would be late to work every day.

 

I heard about those being developed in Europe. Though it would suck for the average consumer, think of how much safer the roads would be!

 

just a little too much control over my life for me.....

 

^^Ditto

How about taking cars away from drunk drivers and not punishing those of us that don't drink!

 

I don't drink, but I'd be happy to have that system in my car, and would like it in every car, the police catch less then 2% of those that are DUI, and even less of that 2% get punished, can you imagine how many lives would be saved, and how many accidents wouldn't happen if you put a system like that into every single car out there on the road?

 

They should use the autopark feature from the Lexus LS to autopark the car in a emergency lane.

 

^ good idea!

 

I don't like it. I see a potential "big brother"issue with this. I understand peoples desires to be safe. What is the level of alchohol the machine will be programed to detect. .08 or even less like the freedom hating group MADD would like to see. How about not a drop. I think the technology is cool and if somebody gets a DWI having something like that in the car vs the breathaliser would be a good idea, but if you have never been convicted of a DWI you shouldn't be treated like somebody who has.

 

GREAT IDEA! but the real problem drinkers will find a way to disable the system or buy older cars

now if only we could do something about idiots on cellphones...

 

I'm F'd!

 

what would it consider erratic steering? What if you wanted to autocross would u always get last cuz ur car stopped lol

 

Sounds like to me just something else to figure out how to disable it. I mean they have tried rev-limiters, governors, et cetera, and people always find ways to modify or completely disable them.

 

Wouldn't it be more productive to not punish the innocent or throw away personal freedom (there seems to be a common theme with that the past 6 years) and instead actually punish the drunk drivers? You'd be amazed how many of those drunk driving death statistics are caused by people that have previously been caught drinking and driving. . . . then keep doing it because they're released with little or no punishment.

This is what i find amazing about American standards. If someone comes to a rolling stop at a stop sign, then doesn't pay the ticket the police will come to their place of work and arrest them (this happened to one of my coworkers). Get caught drunk driving and you get slapped on the hand until it happens 3 times. Even then there's no guarantee the drunk driver be held responsible.

I'm all for anything that will keep drunk drivers off the road. But it should be done in a way that punishes those trying to drink and drive. Not those of us that don't drink or drink responsibly.

 

You made some great points. As far as our personal freedoms go, do you think that it is right to have a blackbox in cars when the owner is unaware that it is even there? What about airbag sensors that record what went on in a collision? These types of things are acceptable in my opinion (though this Lexus system is a bit much) as long as the owners know they are there. But I agree with you in that there have been devices installed (or planned to be installed) in new vehicles over the past six years that border our "personal freedoms".

You say that there should be a system that should punish drunk drivers without punishing everyone else, and I agree. Unfortunately, I think the only way to counteract drunk drivers is for everyone else to lose some of their personal freedoms, and again, that is OK by me.

Lastly, you talked about American standards when it comes to traffic violations. Get this, fines for a first-violation DUI in some areas in Phoenix is $250. A fine for parking in a handicap spot... $1000 (learned in traffic school five years ago). Now those are American standards for you. Drunk driving is bad, but there's hell to pay if you park in the "snowbird's" parking spot!

 

dskinner- sounds like we're alot alike (aside from the willingness to lose civil liberties to accomplish other goals). We have the same problem here in Alabama (although probably worse . . . as we're a bunch of drunk rednecks for the most part). Someone here gets caught drinking and driving or even causes an accident and they'll get fined a few hundred bucks and sent on their merry way. But like you said . . . . Come to a rolling stop at a stop light, go 2 mph over the speed limit or park in the wrong spot and you're easily paying more than the drunk driver. Not to mention they treat you like a total criminal if you ever go to court over it.

It would take too long to type it here but i've got a story of a speeding ticket and a court room that you would laugh about if it weren't so sad. Basically I was threatened with 6 months in jail if I couldn't come up with 2 more dollars to pay a ticket. The irony is I had just watched them let 2 guys that had beat up their wives walk right out without so much as a slap on the hand. . . . I guess I was the more dangerous since I showed up respectfully in a suit and didn't argue with the judge like the other guys.

Also, noticed the scooter as your icon. What brand do you have? I have a small scooter business and also ride one all the time.