Combining three existing technologies could provide a safe and secure car.

Keyless Entry
Most keyless car entry systems involve a credit card size unit which, when in proximity to the car, allows the doors to be opened and the car to be started. Once only available on expensive cars, this technology is now mainstream.

Fingerprint Recognition
PDAs such as the IPAQ have fingerprint recognition to ensure that only recognised individuals can gain access to the data within.

Transdermal Alcohol Testing
Technologies such as SCRAM measure blood alcohol levels via excretion of sweat through the skin. [link provided for the full science].

Combine these three technologies for safety and security. The driver places his/her thumb on a recognition sensor on the keyless entry card. If that pattern matches one on record, you pass. At the same time, your alcohol levels are checked and assessed versus the legal limits in your country. Fail and the car fails to start.
-- jonthegeologist, Dec 23 2003

Transdermal Alcohol Measuring http://www.alcoholm...ng.com/science.html
[jonthegeologist, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Fitness to drive detector http://news.bbc.co....england/3338543.stm
sadly in an alfa so it'll never work [hazel, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

// a safe and secure car // - maybe true but the driver might still be a complete jerk! Plus for the idea.
-- dobtabulous, Dec 23 2003


[dobt] quite right, this is just a step towards safer roads.
-- jonthegeologist, Dec 23 2003


yeah, right, but what if someone stole your keycard, sobered you up, then stole your thumb? that's hardly secure now is it ?
-- neilp, Dec 23 2003


[neilp] guess that could happen, but would suggest that this is a little more secure than a normal key?
-- jonthegeologist, Dec 23 2003


Interesting link showing a system which measures hand-eye coordination in drivers.
-- hazel, Dec 23 2003


saw the link, but it fails on a very important point : hand-eye coordination is not currently the criteria for determining whether someone is legal to drive - alcohol levels are however. So, they can fail the hand-eye co-ord test, but still be legal to drive. The pros and cons of this are a moot point, but the law has it that alcohol levels define a legal from illegal driver.
-- jonthegeologist, Dec 23 2003


To jonthegeologist: Blood alchohol levels are not the only legal means of determining legal sobriety in all states. Some states allow an appearance of incapacity to suffice. IOWs, if you are acting drunk, you are drunk.
-- thirdrockphoto, Jul 31 2004



random, halfbakery