Nissan is currently developing new technology to reduce the number of drinking and driving accidents, a new report finds. “In Japan, we have a lot of road deaths due to drinking,” said Kazuhiro Doi, general manager of technology marketing at the Nissan Advanced Technology Center.
Working with the motto “Trusted Driving Pleasure,” Nissan engineers are working to make their alcohol detection technology less obtrusive than systems current on the market or under development — Volvo has a system that requires the drive to blow into a breathalyser before starting the vehicle.
According to Automotive News, Nissan ’s system uses sensors located underneath the driver’s head-rest and on the gear stick to detect if the driver has been drinking. When the system detects alcohol, it warns the driver with an announcement and a message on the dashboard not to start the vehicle. In addition, the system freezes the car’s gear shift.
The system also uses a camera to monitor facial expressions. If the driver blinks too often, the system views that as a sign of drunkenness and warns the driver to stop and tightens their seatbelt.
Diesel technology
Nissan is also working on improving its diesel technology. While the Japanese market doesn’t embrace diesel power like the European market, Nissan is planning to launch its first clean diesel in Japan next year. The Japanese automaker also hopes to have a diesel-powered super-ultra low emission vehicle on the road soon, but failed to mention a time frame. The SULEV engine will reduce emissions through the use of a new “trap catalyst” and improved engine control.
