A section titled, \u201cADVANCED IMPAIRED DRIVING TECHNOLOGY\u201d . . .mandates new vehicles include \u201ca system that \u2026 passively and accurately detect[s] whether the blood alcohol concentration of a driver of a motor vehicle is equal to or greater than the blood alcohol concentration\u201d of .08, in which case the system would \u201cprevent or limit motor vehicle operation.\u201d Automobile manufacturers would have a three-year grace period to comply with the regulation.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nThere are two technologies that promise to do this, one that analyzes the drivers\u2019 breath and one that analyzes the drivers\u2019 blood when they touch a screen with their fingertips.\n
What this would mean is that you would have a new protocol for starting your car.\u00a0 You would get in, buckle your seatbelt, then breathe into a breathalyzer or touch a screen to get your blood measured.\u00a0 If the machines approve, you can then start your ignition.<\/p>\n
UPDATE:\u00a0 What they are looking to develop are passive measures, in which sensors would measure your breath automatically, somehow distinguishing the driver\u2019s breathing from passengers, or touch monitors be built into steering wheels.\u00a0 You wouldn\u2019t necessarily have to give yourself a breathalyzer test before turning the key in your ignition.<\/p>\n
Even if you are a strict teetotaler, you would have to submit to your car\u2019s assessment of your physical state before it would allow you to drive.\u00a0 If you have wine with your meal, a beer with your BBQ, or a cocktail at a restaurant, your car will tell you if you have had enough.\u00a0 If you are over the line, you won\u2019t be going anywhere.<\/p>\n
What do you think of this?\u00a0 Drunk driving is certainly a problem.\u00a0 This provision could save lives. Already these kinds of devices are sometimes installed on the vehicles of alcoholics and DWI offenders.\u00a0 The organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has been urging this kind of mandate for years.<\/p>\n
This is an interesting approach to a moral and legal issue.\u00a0 Traditionally, we have held individuals responsible for their conduct.\u00a0 We have appealed to people\u2019s conscience or threatened them with the punishments of the law.\u00a0 This approach, though, seeks to make transgressions impossible to commit.<\/p>\n
That takes away the moral significance of the action, since we can neither praise a good deed nor condemn a bad one, if no one has any choice in the matter.\u00a0 It also takes away the crime.\u00a0 If it is impossible to drink and drive, there can be no DWI, as such, though disabling or working around the devices could be criminalized.<\/p>\n
I think that would be very possible.\u00a0 A drunk could simply carry around an aerosol can of pure air and spray it into the breathalyzer before turning the key.\u00a0 Or ask a sober passenger, friend, or bartender to touch the screen.<\/p>\n
Conversely, a sober person might get stuck in a car that won\u2019t start.\u00a0 What about drivers who rub their hands with the ever-present anti-COVID disinfectants, which are 100% alcohol?\u00a0 What would that do to a touch screen alcohol detector?<\/p>\n
I would just worry that the advanced impaired driving technology would be just another thing that would become defective and make my car not start.<\/p>\n
So what do you think about this provision, which will go into effect by 2024, if not before, assuming the infrastructure bill gets passed, as Republicans and Democrats are working to make that happen?<\/p>\n
Do you think drunk driving is such a problem that this kind of draconian imposition on our liberties is necessary?\u00a0 One could make a case that it is, though I\u2019m not convinced.<\/p>\n
At any rate, even if it is, would you count this as infrastructure<\/em>?\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t it be better to study and debate the issue of this kind of safety equipment in its own right, as a separate bill?<\/p>\nI suspect most legislators of either party are unaware that this measure is in the law that they have agreed to.\u00a0 After all, how many of the congressmen and senators have gone over all 2,700 pages?<\/p>\n
This makes me wonder, what else<\/em> is in that bill?<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Photo:\u00a0 Guardian Interlock Advanced Alcohol Monitoring Device by Rsheram, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes a provision requiring all new car makers to build in alcohol-detection devices that would make it impossible for drunk or impaired drivers to start their cars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1281,"featured_media":56461,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[600,19,26,36,44],"tags":[11025,2835,11028,10646],"class_list":["post-56401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime","category-government","category-law","category-politics","category-technology","tag-advanced-impaired-driving-technology","tag-automobiles","tag-drunk-driving","tag-infrastructure-bill"],"yoast_head":"\n
Infrastructure Bill Mandates Alcohol Monitoring in New Cars<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes a provision requiring all new car makers to build in alcohol-detection devices that would make it impossible for drunk or impaired drivers to start their cars.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Infrastructure Bill Mandates Alcohol Monitoring in New Cars\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes a provision requiring all new car makers to build in alcohol-detection devices that would make it impossible for drunk or impaired drivers to start their cars.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Cranach\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cranachblog\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-08-10T10:00:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-08-10T11:46:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/305\/2021\/08\/1024px-Guardian_Interlock_AMS2000_1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Gene Veith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Gene Veith\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/\",\"name\":\"Infrastructure Bill Mandates Alcohol Monitoring in New Cars\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-08-10T10:00:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-08-10T11:46:43+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/f9ca8670bcc51908a78994c0484dbfa1\"},\"description\":\"The bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes a provision requiring all new car makers to build in alcohol-detection devices that would make it impossible for drunk or impaired drivers to start their cars.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Infrastructure Bill Mandates Alcohol Monitoring in New Cars\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/\",\"name\":\"Cranach\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/f9ca8670bcc51908a78994c0484dbfa1\",\"name\":\"Gene Veith\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/054d79faea5d476edd8f99e5f14fb17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/054d79faea5d476edd8f99e5f14fb17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Gene Veith\"},\"description\":\"Gene Edward Veith, Jr. is a writer and retired literature professor, serving as Provost Emeritus at Patrick Henry College. He has authored over 25 books on Christianity and culture, literature, classical education, and theology. Dr. Veith previously held academic and editorial roles at Concordia University Wisconsin and WORLD Magazine. A respected voice in Lutheran and classical education circles, he holds a Ph.D. in English and several honorary doctorates. He and his wife, Jackquelyn, live in St. Louis and have three children and twelve grandchildren.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cranachblog\/\",\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gene_Edward_Veith\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/author\/geneveith\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Infrastructure Bill Mandates Alcohol Monitoring in New Cars","description":"The bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes a provision requiring all new car makers to build in alcohol-detection devices that would make it impossible for drunk or impaired drivers to start their cars.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Infrastructure Bill Mandates Alcohol Monitoring in New Cars","og_description":"The bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes a provision requiring all new car makers to build in alcohol-detection devices that would make it impossible for drunk or impaired drivers to start their cars.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/","og_site_name":"Cranach","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cranachblog\/","article_published_time":"2021-08-10T10:00:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-08-10T11:46:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":768,"height":576,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/305\/2021\/08\/1024px-Guardian_Interlock_AMS2000_1.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Gene Veith","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Gene Veith","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/","name":"Infrastructure Bill Mandates Alcohol Monitoring in New Cars","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-08-10T10:00:57+00:00","dateModified":"2021-08-10T11:46:43+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/f9ca8670bcc51908a78994c0484dbfa1"},"description":"The bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes a provision requiring all new car makers to build in alcohol-detection devices that would make it impossible for drunk or impaired drivers to start their cars.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2021\/08\/infrastructure-bill-mandates-alcohol-monitoring-in-new-cars\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Infrastructure Bill Mandates Alcohol Monitoring in New Cars"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/","name":"Cranach","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/f9ca8670bcc51908a78994c0484dbfa1","name":"Gene Veith","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/054d79faea5d476edd8f99e5f14fb17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/054d79faea5d476edd8f99e5f14fb17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Gene Veith"},"description":"Gene Edward Veith, Jr. is a writer and retired literature professor, serving as Provost Emeritus at Patrick Henry College. He has authored over 25 books on Christianity and culture, literature, classical education, and theology. Dr. Veith previously held academic and editorial roles at Concordia University Wisconsin and WORLD Magazine. A respected voice in Lutheran and classical education circles, he holds a Ph.D. in English and several honorary doctorates. He and his wife, Jackquelyn, live in St. Louis and have three children and twelve grandchildren.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cranachblog\/","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gene_Edward_Veith"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/author\/geneveith\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1281"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56401\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/305\/2021\/08\/1024px-Guardian_Interlock_AMS2000_1.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n