A first-of-its-kind, fully passive, non-invasive alcohol detection system will be available for open-source licensing in commercial vehicles in late 2021. 

The new technology results from extensive R&D and testing by the DADSS (Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety) Program, a public-private partnership between the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety, Inc. (ACTS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

This is the first time a product equipped with DADSS technology will come out of the lab and into commercial vehicles. Moreover, unlike existing breathalyzers or interlocks, the DADSS technology can be seamlessly integrated into vehicles so there is no physical hardware in the vehicle cabin. 

Through open-source licensing the technology — which measures a driver’s breath alcohol concentration in less than a second — will be made available to any product integrator for preparation into fleet vehicles of all kinds. ACTS is licensing the DADSS technology to product integrators, and a device equipped with the breath technology will be made available in late 2021. 

ACTS calls the DADSS technology “a true feat of biomedical and vehicle engineering.” In the first-generation system, drivers provide a puff of breath directed towards a small sensor, which can be outfitted in the steering column or side door trim. Because it’s designed for fleet operators implementing a zero-tolerance alcohol policy for their drivers, the system will give a “pass/fail” reading of the driver’s breath alcohol concentration. 

Senseair, a company specializing in infrared gas measurement technology, is manufacturing the first products integrated with DADSS technology. 

Experts believe the DADSS technology will be a game changer in combating and eliminating drunk driving. One person dies every 52 minutes due to a drunk driving collision and over 10,000 people lost their lives in drunk driving crashes in 2019 alone.