Nissan is not the only one with the new breathalyzer technology even Volvo Cars is introducing its own version and it’s called the Alcoguard. With this new technology, Volvo is hoping to reduce accidents that are caused by drink-driving.
The Alcoguard is fully integrated in-car alcolock that utilizes advanced fuel cell technology that is both user-friendly and reliable. Ingrid Skogsmo, Director of the Volvo Cars Safety Center was quoted by duemotori.com as saying, "Alcoguard is a tool whose purpose is to help the driver make sober decisions. At present, one in every three traffic fatalities in Europe is alcohol-related. Our three biggest challenges for creating a safer traffic environment are speeding, insufficient safety belt use and drink-driving. The aim of our product is to help reduce the number of accidents caused by vehicles with a drunk driver at the wheel."
The Volvo S80, V70, and XC70 will be the first to test the Alcoguard and are scheduled for release starting 2008. The company’s small car models will also be equipped with the Alcoguard and will be released by next summer.
Volvo the producer of high quality Volvo engine is hoping to sell around two thousand units per year and expected to grow as customers began to realize the importance of the Alcoguard in vehicle safety. At present Sweden is the biggest market for alcolocks but Volvo will also offer this technology to the rest of Europe and USA. The primary market expected for the Alcoguard will consist of the company car sector, taxi operators, state authorities and municipalities but still the Swedish-based automaker is considering private car owners as their potential customers for the said technology.
How does the Alcoguard works? There is a hand-held unit which is used to analyze the driver’s breath. The results are then transmitted via a radio signal to the car’s electronic control system. If the alcohol content in the blood exceeds 0.2g/1 the engine will not start. And due to advanced sensors, makes it impossible for external air sources such as pump to cheat the system.
David Nilsson, Technical Project Manager for Alcoguard at Volvo Cars said, "Fuel-cell technology is more expensive but it also produces far better results. Unlike semi-conductors, for instance, fuel-cells only react to ethanol and nothing else. In the fuel-cell, the ethanol molecules pass through a sensitive membrane and an electrical current is generated. This current is then measured. Higher current means more alcohol in the driver's breath."
The results of the breathalyzer test are shown via three LEDs displayed on the hand-held unit such as:
Green: 0.0-0.1g/1 alcohol, the car’s engine will start
Yellow: 0.1-0.2g/1 alcohol, the car will start but the driver should not drive
Red: more than 0.2g/1 alcohol, the car’s engine will not start
I don’t know about you guys but I like the anti-driving technology of Nissan since it covers a lot more aspect of a drunken individual not just in terms of breath but overall analyze the driver’s behavior.
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