CAR TECH
Nissan Car Catches Drunk Drivers Through Sweaty Palms

The technology still seems unlikely to become widely used as it was doubtful that the government would make it compulsory.
by Staff Writers
 Tokyo (AFP) Aug 08, 2007
 Motorists tempted to get behind the wheel after one alcoholic drink too many could soon get a ticking off from an unlikely source -- their car. Nissan Motor on Friday announced a new concept car packed with technologies to deter driving while under the influence of alcohol. Inside the gear stick knob is a highly sensitive odor sensor. If alcohol is detected in the perspiration on a driver's palm the vehicle is immobilised and a voice warns against drink driving along with a message on the navigation system monitor.

Odour sensors are also incorporated into the driver and passenger seats and if alcohol is detected in the air inside the cabin a warning is given. A camera also detects drowsiness and issues alerts as well as tugging the seatbelt.

Nissan is also testing a new on-board breathalyser that will prevent inebriated motorists from starting up their cars as part of industry wide research into ways to reduce drink driving.

Rivals Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. are also researching anti-drink driving systems, said Credit Suisse auto analyst Koji Endo.

"Everybody's concern nowadays is with safety and environmental issues," he said.

But the technology still seems unlikely to become widely used as it was doubtful that the government would make it compulsory, Endo added.

Japan has been cracking down on drink driving since a high-profile incident last year in which a drunk public official smashed into another car, killing three children.

The country has strict anti-drink driving laws and the legal limit for drivers is 0.15 milligrammes of alcohol per litre of blood.

Source: Agence France-Presse

Related Links
 Car Technology at SpaceMart.com

CAR TECH
Nissan To Launch First Clean Diesel Vehicle Next Year
 Tokyo (AFP) Aug 06, 2007
 Nissan Motor has unveiled plans to launch its first 'clean diesel' engine vehicle in Japan next year as part of efforts to catch up with rivals in green motoring. Japanese automakers are competing to be the first to launch the low pollution diesel engines, which some analysts predict could eventually become more popular than petrol-electric hybrids due to their lower production cost. Nissan said its new clean diesel engine, which is based on technology developed with French partner Renault, would be put in the X-Trail sport utility vehicle, which is due to be introduced in Japan in autumn 2008.
INTERNET SPACE
  • Satellite Multimedia For Mobile Phones
  • Vizada Launches SkyFile Access For Better Mobile Satellite Data Transfer
  • Bringing Mobile Cellular Phones To The Skyways
  • Rockwell Collins And ARINC Sign Agreement For Broadband Offering

    • LAUNCH PAD
  • ILS to Launch Inmarsat Satellite On Proton Vehicle Next Spring
  • Russian Proton-M Rocket To Launch Japanese Telecoms Satellite
  • A Double Transfer At The Spaceport For The Next Two Ariane 5 Launchers
  • European Automated Space Truck Arrive At South American Spaceport

    • AEROSPACE
  • Boeing Flies Blended Wing Body Research Aircraft
  • Steering Aircraft Clear Of Choppy Air
  • EAA AirVenture 2007
  • Sensors May Monitor Aircraft For Defects Continuously

    • MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS
  • Lockheed Martin Awarded B-2 Bomber Satellite Communication System Upgrade Contract
  • Northrop Grumman Tests Airborne Networking System For Aeronautical and Land Vehicular Broadband Services
  • TSAT Teams Submit Production Proposals To US Air Force
  • LockMart And Northrop Grumman TSAT Team Announces Partnership With Juniper Networks

    • TECH SPACE
  • Purdue Milestone A Step Toward Advanced Sensors And Communications
  • Bridges Too Far As Infrastructure Ages Across The Old West
  • Lockheed Martin Completes Key End-To-End Test Of Space Based Infrared System
  • Nanotech Clay Armour Creates Fire Resistant Hard Wearing Latex Emulsion Paints

    • APPOINTMENTS
  • Northrop Grumman Appoints James Myers VP And GM Of Navigation Systems Division
  • Senior Official Of Energia Space Appointed President
  • New SIDC Commander Has The Wright Stuff
  • NASA Administrator Names Ryschkewitsch As New Chief Engineer

    • EARTH OBSERVATION
  • NASA Helps Texas Respond To Most Widespread Flooding In 50 Years
  • Thailand To Launch Environment Satellite In November
  • Mapping Mountains From Space With GOCE
  • ESA Mission Highlighted At Remote Sensing Conference

    • GPS NEWS
  • Car Satellite Navigation Systems Can Be Steered The Wrong Way
  • ShoZu One-Click Image Upload Service To Be Embedded In Samsung Handsets
  • T-Mobile Austria Customers Can Now Avoid Becoming Lost With GPS SatNav From TeleNav
  • Cell Phones And PDAs Revolutionize How Consumers Find Homes On REALTOR.com

    • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement