Infrastructure Bill Would Require Alcohol Monitors for All New Cars

[corbe]

Infrastructure Bill Would Require Alcohol Monitors for All New Cars

Advanced monitoring systems track drivers' blood alcohol concentration and can 'prevent ... motor vehicle operation'

The bipartisan infrastructure bill includes a provision that would require auto manufacturers to equip "advanced alcohol monitoring systems" in all new cars.

Buried in the massive proposal—which is already longer than 2,700 pages—is a section titled, "ADVANCED IMPAIRED DRIVING TECHNOLOGY," which mandates new vehicles include "a system that … passively and accurately detects whether the blood alcohol concentration of a driver of a motor vehicle is equal to or greater than the blood alcohol concentration" of .08, in which case the system would "prevent or limit motor vehicle operation." Automobile manufacturers would have a three-year grace period to comply with the regulation.

The provision gives ammunition to Republican critics who say the scope of the bill expands far beyond bridges and tunnels. Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) said he would oppose the bill over its subsidies for green energy, while Sen. Mike Lee (R., Utah) questioned whether the federal government could efficiently allocate more than $1 trillion in spending. Meanwhile, a number of House Democrats say they oppose the deal for not doing enough. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) attacked her partymates in the Senate for compromising with Republicans.

"It certainly looks like this opens the door for mandatory breathalyzers in every new car. It's crazy," said one senior Republican aide, who requested anonymity to speak candidly due to ongoing negotiations in the Senate.

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https://freebeacon.com/politics/infrastructure-bill-would-require-alcohol-monitors-for-all-new-cars/

[christian]

The infrastructure bill will provide some of the greatest invasions of personal lives and rights America has ever seen. You must surrender your individual liberties to be safe, and with democrats in power it will soon be seen at massive costs a massive loss of liberties.  The Tyrants will protect you, when they are not killing you, like Co-vid.  Impoverishing you as well.
 It's how socialists/communists take over.

[Smokin Joe]

A friend who lived in Colorado objected to the police drawing blood on the side of the road, so he got stuck with a breathalyzer interlock for a year. The car shut off in traffic, and while trying to restart the vehicle (with no alcohol in his system) by blowing in the breathalyzer, he was involved in an accident. It is highly unlikely that wreck would have happened had the interlock system not been present. These things are dangerous, and in northern latitudes will cost lip meat in winter,  like sticking your tongue on the flagpole...

STUPID.

[Hoodat]

What about weed monitors, meth monitors, or narcotics monitors?

[Smokin Joe]

What about weed monitors, meth monitors, or narcotics monitors?

Not to mention something to cut down on drivers messing with their phones...

[Cyber Liberty]

I'll bet these gadgets won't count if one is court-ordered.  There's the calibration issue, and more importantly, the current manufacturers of monitors would be put out of business, and courts rely on the kickbacks.

This is a total waste of money, and will serve to drive up the price of a new car.

[Smokin Joe]

I'll bet these gadgets won't count if one is court-ordered.  There's the calibration issue, and more importantly, the current manufacturers of monitors would be put out of business, and courts rely on the kickbacks.

This is a total waste of money, and will serve to drive up the price of a new car.

Here's another question.

Would those monitors be sophisticated enough to tell the difference between alcohols and ketones?

Some of the older breathalyzers would read ketones (diabetic ketoacidosis--a life threatening condition) as alcohol, and a person might not be able to get to the medical assistance they need.

[240B]

Most of the ride-services (Uber, Lyft) will not pick up drunk passengers.
With this, you cannot use your own car.
Ergo, if you go out drinking alone, you will be stuck where ever you are.

[GtHawk]

Just one more piece of POS electronics to fail and turn a car into a brick. I don't think I could ever make myself buy another orphan car(Studebaker) but if I could I would sure as hell buy a Ford, GM or Chrysler car pre 67 with no GD computer in it!

[Smokin Joe]

Just one more piece of POS electronics to fail and turn a car into a brick. I don't think I could ever make myself buy another orphan car(Studebaker) but if I could I would sure as hell buy a Ford, GM or Chrysler car pre 67 with no GD computer in it!

Oh, I dunno. I loved the Studebaker Hawk my former boss loaned to me for a week while my vehicle was in the shop...

[roamer_1]

Just one more piece of POS electronics to fail and turn a car into a brick. I don't think I could ever make myself buy another orphan car(Studebaker) but if I could I would sure as hell buy a Ford, GM or Chrysler car pre 67 with no GD computer in it!

Actually, that's pre-85 in Chevys, and is exactly why I stayed in square-bodied Chevys all this time

[dfwgator]

"Hey, Psst, come over here,   can you blow into this thing for me?"

[Wingnut]

Man this is like that POS NHTSA Joan Claybrook on steroids.

[Cyber Liberty]

Here's another question.

Would those monitors be sophisticated enough to tell the difference between alcohols and ketones?

Some of the older breathalyzers would read ketones (diabetic ketoacidosis--a life threatening condition) as alcohol, and a person might not be able to get to the medical assistance they need.

This is just another feel-good action that will do more harm than good.  Requiring people to blow on a tube to prove they aren't drunk when they've never been convicted of a crime, is itself a crime.

Look for 101 ways to disable it to show up on the internet before the first such car is produced.  This despite the fact that a law requiring a gizmo will always carry a penalty for disabling the gizmo. 

[Smokin Joe]

This is just another feel-good action that will do more harm than good.  Requiring people to blow on a tube to prove they aren't drunk when they've never been convicted of a crime, is itself a crime.

Look for 101 ways to disable it to show up on the internet before the first such car is produced.  This despite the fact that a law requiring a gizmo will always carry a penalty for disabling the gizmo.

I have no doubt about either statement.

I have seen workarounds for a lot of the later developments in technology.

[GtHawk]

Oh, I dunno. I loved the Studebaker Hawk my former boss loaned to me for a week while my vehicle was in the shop...

@Smokin Joe
It's not that I don't love them, it's that I love them more than I can afford. I'm sure you know that orphan cars are those whose manufacturers have gone out of business. With some popular cars like the American Motors AMX and Javelin some companies have made repops but Studebaker? not so much and those, the one or two, that have make mostly rubber and interior. If you need a body part you best start praying because all that were able to be salvaged from South Bend are becoming unobtainium, need on of those toggle switches used in Hawks? pray someone has a NOS for a fortune or a old one that can be rebuilt for a smaller fortune.

No I love the Hawks, I've had two, I used to eat stock 289 Mustangs with my GranTurismo when I was in High School.

[GtHawk]

Actually, that's pre-85 in Chevys, and is exactly why I stayed in square-bodied Chevys all this time

Well, part of my statement concerning 67 and earlier has to do with mandatory smog testing in California, 1967 and earlier are exempt

[Smokin Joe]

@Smokin Joe
It's not that I don't love them, it's that I love them more than I can afford. I'm sure you know that orphan cars are those whose manufacturers have gone out of business. With some popular cars like the American Motors AMX and Javelin some companies have made repops but Studebaker? not so much and those, the one or two, that have make mostly rubber and interior. If you need a body part you best start praying because all that were able to be salvaged from South Bend are becoming unobtainium, need on of those toggle switches used in Hawks? pray someone has a NOS for a fortune or a old one that can be rebuilt for a smaller fortune.

No I love the Hawks, I've had two, I used to eat stock 289 Mustangs with my GranTurismo when I was in High School.

I hear you on parts...

My boss's had a flaw. One of the motor mounts was broken, and unless you really drove like you had a raw egg under your foot and didn't want to break the yolk, the engine would torque, which gave it more throttle. An interesting feedback loop that had me burn out across a few intersections before I got the touch down. Impressive, and thankfully I didn't get a ticket for burning rubber.

I had a '68 Javelin, too, and would love another.

[roamer_1]

Well, part of my statement concerning 67 and earlier has to do with mandatory smog testing in California, 1967 and earlier are exempt

Yeah... We just rip all that crap off and throw it over our shoulder... 

once you hit the 90's it gets pretty difficult to turn em back to analog.

[roamer_1]

But then, living where I do, I have never had to submit to a vehicle inspection in my life.  So...

[cato potatoe]

But then, living where I do, I have never had to submit to a vehicle inspection in my life.  So...

I can imagine a comprehensive federal inspection, similar to the one in Japan.  Their average age of cars is about 8.7 years, versus 12.1 years in the US.  General Motors would love to force everyone to buy their new crap.

[roamer_1]

I can imagine a comprehensive federal inspection, similar to the one in Japan.  Their average age of cars is about 8.7 years, versus 12.1 years in the US.  General Motors would love to force everyone to buy their new crap.

Except Montana will tell em to get plugged.

[Smokin Joe]

I can imagine a comprehensive federal inspection, similar to the one in Japan.  Their average age of cars is about 8.7 years, versus 12.1 years in the US.  General Motors would love to force everyone to buy their new crap.

Wow. I have a small fleet, all old enough to go to the bar.

[GtHawk]

Wow. I have a small fleet, all old enough to go to the bar.

The newest vehicle I ever owned was my Silverado work truck, it was two and a half years old and thirteen when I sold it because I didn't work anymore and my back made it a pain to get in and out of. My car right now is about sixteen years old and as long as that Corolla keeps rolling it's staying.

[Smokin Joe]

The newest vehicle I ever owned was my Silverado work truck, it was two and a half years old and thirteen when I sold it because I didn't work anymore and my back made it a pain to get in and out of. My car right now is about sixteen years old and as long as that Corolla keeps rolling it's staying.

Years represented: 1941, 1975, 1975, 1986, 1987, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000. Those are just the ones currently licensed, and not all the others.