Europe: Mandatory alcoholmeters in cars from 2024

All cars manufactured and sold in Europe will have alcoholmeters, in a measure which is essentially aimed at limiting driving under the influence of alcohol.

The devices will be mandatory for every vehicle that acquires type approval in Member States of the European Union from July 6, 2022 onwards. The driver is expected to blow in the car’s breathalyser before it starts. If the driver’s alcohol level is too high, the car simply won’t get started.

Please note that this system will be mandatory from 2024 for all cars sold in the EU, regardless of the date they have obtained type-approval.

Thus, when the driver enters the car and before starting the vehicle with the key, the alcohol meter will require the driver to blow at the special mouth of a ventilator to determine whether he has used alcohol and whether he is able to drive, in accordance with the limits in force in each country.

• Incorporating Driver Safety into Your Culture to Increase Retention
• System to detect drunk drivers, US Senate wants

In the event that the driver is found to have consumed more alcohol than required by law, then the engine will not get ahead and the car will be immobilized.

Alcohol Interlock comes in the wake of the sad research that showed that, although in Europe more than 30,000 drivers have been denied their license due to excessive alcohol consumption, more than 30% of them (about 10,000) continue to drive without a license.

[via]