A system and method of monitoring sobriety using a hand-held breath testing device that, on receipt of a user's breath, generates a breath test signal comprising substance content data and user identification data, and wirelessly transmits the breath test signal to a breath test signal receiving station.

An apparatus for detecting an alcohol component of a driver's breath includes an inlet that absorbs a driver's exhalation and a passenger's exhalation, respectively, a sensor that detects an alcohol component in the driver's exhalation or the passenger's exhalation, a driver valve controlled to be opened or closed to allow the driver's exhalation to be introduced into the sensor and a passenger valve controlled to be opened or closed to allow the passenger's exhalation to be introduced into the sensor, and a controller that determines whether a passenger is on board a vehicle and controls the driver valve and the passenger valve to be open or closed based on a determination result. Therefore, the driver's breath is distinguished from the passenger's breath and the influence of the passenger is removed to detect the alcohol component in the driver's breath, thereby accurately determining the driver's drinking state.

In at least some implementations, a system for communicating threshold conditions for use of a powered device to a user, includes an engine, a controller coupled to the engine to control starting of the engine and a first indicator associated with a first threshold condition. The first indicator has a first state when the threshold condition is not satisfied and the first indicator has a second state when the threshold condition is satisfied, and the first indicator is coupled to the controller so that the controller is responsive to a change of the state of the first indicator, and wherein the controller is adapted to provide information for display that is indicative of the state of the first indicator.

Systems and methods for securing limited drivability of a vehicle by impaired drivers using blockchain are provided. The vehicle system uses blockchain to protect and disclose such vehicle deactivation, prevent false enabling/disabling of a vehicle, and saves this information to a shared ledger. A sensor system located on the vehicle, e.g., alcohol interlock sensors, interior sensors, and exterior sensors, may have access to this information along with fleet managers, OEM, and/or users. For example, when the alcohol interlock sensor is activated, it transmits a test request. Subsequently, the other sensors may identify the request and look for a known person inside or in the proximity of the vehicle. In a similar manner, whether the test has been conducted, as well as the results of the test may be verified by the other nodes, e.g., sensors/modules in the vehicle. Upon confirmation that the driver is impaired, the vehicle may be deactivated.

Embodiments include breath intoxicant monitoring systems and methods of operating a breath intoxicant monitoring system. In an embodiment, a breath intoxicant monitoring system, includes a first detection element, a second detection element, and a control module. The first detection element can be operable to detect a level of an intoxicant in a user's breath and to provide a continuous signal indicating the level of intoxicant. The second detection element can be operable to detect a level of the intoxicant. The second detection element includes a different type of element than the first detection element. The second detection element can have greater accuracy than the first detection element. The control module to selectively operate the second detection element based on the signal received from the first detection element, and to indicate whether the level of intoxicant in the user's breath exceeds a threshold. Other embodiments are also included herein.

A driver intoxication test system is provided for a vehicle including: a quick intoxication pre-test subsystem for quickly determining whether there is reason to suspect the driver may be intoxicated; an intoxication validation test subsystem for determining whether the driver is intoxicated; and a controller is configured to determine whether the quick intoxication pre-test subsystem has detected a reason to suspect the driver may be intoxicated. When a reason to suspect the driver may be intoxicated has been detected, an intoxication validation test is conducted and it is determined whether the driver has passed the intoxication validation test. When a reason to suspect the driver may be intoxicated has not been detected, the controller does not instruct the intoxication validation test subsystem to conduct an intoxication validation test.

A test system for detecting impairment aboard a motor vehicle includes an electronic control unit (ECU) and sensors in communication therewith. The sensors are positioned within a vehicle interior, and include at least a touch screen and a microphone, and possibly an eye-tracking camera. In response to receiving a start request indicative of a requested start event of the motor vehicle, the ECU executes instructions to initiate a cognitive response test via the sensors. The ECU determines a test score of a driver during the test while the motor vehicle remains off, compares the test score to baseline scores to determine a passing or failing test result, and executes a control action aboard the motor vehicle in response to the passing or failing test result. The ECU may disable or immobilize the motor vehicle in response to the failing test result.

A method includes receiving criteria data regarding a first control requirement frame for a first jurisdiction, a second control requirement frame for a second jurisdiction, and a third control requirement frame for a third jurisdiction. The criteria data for each control requirement frame includes at least: i. criteria data for an intoxicant concentration limit data subframe; ii. criteria data for a calibration requirement data subframe; and iii. criteria data for a reporting subframe. The method further includes storing the criteria data in a stringency database; sorting the first, second and third control requirement frames based on the relative stringency of criteria data. receiving a request for a compliance device according to the requirements of the first jurisdiction and the second jurisdiction; accessing the sorted control frames of the first and second jurisdictions to determine an operational control frame based on the sorted control frames; and providing the operation control frame.

A method of monitoring for circumvention of an ignition interlock system is described herein including detecting an electrical parameter associated with an electrical power state of a vehicle electrical system in a vehicle comprising an ignition interlock device that includes at least a relay device and a controller device electrically interconnected within the vehicle electrical system, measuring a rate of degradation associated with the electrical parameter of the vehicle electrical system, and comparing the electrical parameter to a threshold condition. The method further includes comparing the rate of degradation of the electrical parameter to a threshold rate. Depending on the rate of degradation, a violation state may be generated, a violation state may be reversed, a violation state may be maintained, a log entry may be generated, or more than one of these may occur.

A vehicle immobilization system includes a detection element operable to detect a level of an intoxicant in a user's breath. A control module is operable to receive a signal from the detection element indicating the level of intoxicant in the user's breath, and to selectively restrict operation of a vehicle based on the level of intoxicant in the user's breath exceeding a threshold. A wireless relay is operable to replace a standard relay in the vehicle, and to wirelessly communicate with the control module such that the control module is operable to control the wireless relay to selectively restrict operation of the vehicle.