Seeing Machines adds alcohol impairment detection to DMS for global safety

Seeing Machines has announced a new capability for its Driver Monitoring System (DMS) that can detect alcohol-related impairment in motorists.

The Canberra-based company's technology is already fitted to over 3.7 million cars and 60,000 trucks globally, and the enhanced system addresses regulatory requirements in the European Union for alcohol impairment detection from 2026. The company has also proposed a phased plan for adoption in the United States.

Beyond fatigue and distraction

Previously, the company's driver monitoring technology has been used to alert drivers or intervene in cases of drowsiness or distraction, helping prevent accidents by ensuring the driver's attention to the road. The newly announced update detects non-drowsy forms of impairment, specifically including alcohol consumption.

Dr Mike Lenné, Chief Safety Officer at Seeing Machines, said the updated capability builds on extensive research and development efforts.

"For years our technology, now in over 3.7 million cars and over 60,000 trucks today, has been capable of detecting and preventing distracted and drowsy driving," said Seeing Machines Chief Safety Officer Dr Mike Lenné. "After extensive research, development, and rigorous testing we are now able to detect other forms of impairment, including impairment from alcohol to the level currently required by European NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) standards for alcohol detection."

Global regulatory landscape

In the United States, DMS has predominantly been deployed to support hands-free driving features such as Ford's Blue Cruise and General Motors' Super Cruise systems, maintaining driver attentiveness. However, new EU regulations require the identification of fatigue, distraction, and alcohol-induced impairment by 2026.

The enhanced DMS can reportedly detect alcohol-related impairment at blood alcohol content (BAC) levels starting from .05 and above, with peak accuracy at .10 BAC and higher. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 67% of alcohol-impaired fatalities in the U.S. involved drivers with a BAC of .15 or higher, highlighting potential road safety benefits if such technology is widely adopted.

Seeing Machines has developed its technology to address this key risk range, aiming to align with Congressional requirements in the United States and international road safety standards.

How the technology works

The technology uses a combination of visual monitoring, artificial intelligence, and in-vehicle sensors to assess signs of impairment while the car is in operation. It can alert the driver and potentially take further action to mitigate risk.

At a remembrance event organised by Mothers Against Drink Driving (MADD), Seeing Machines demonstrated the new impairment detection feature, illustrating its ability to identify when drivers are affected by alcohol as well as distraction and fatigue.

Dr Lenné commented on the readiness of the technology:

"The science is in, the research and development has been done," said Dr Lenné. "Mitigating risks of drunk driving is now a policy decision, not a technological one."

Phased adoption proposal

In its submission to the NHTSA's Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for advanced alcohol detection, Seeing Machines proposed a three-phase plan for DMS implementation. Phase One relies on driver alerts based on impairment detection, encouraging the driver to stop the vehicle. Phase Two foresees the vehicle's safety systems becoming more assertive and visible if impairment persists. Phase Three would involve the vehicle activating a "limp home mode," restricting speed and limiting infotainment access.

Seeing Machines has stated it is ready to support this implementation plan, which would involve close integration with automobile manufacturers and regulatory stakeholders.

Collaboration with automotive industry

The company's technology is already part of vehicles from several major automotive brands. The addition of alcohol impairment detection broadens DMS capability, enabling one system to identify a wider array of behavioural risks associated with traffic accidents.

A spokesperson for Seeing Machines explained, "At Seeing Machines, our mission is to get people home safely. We work with many of the world's largest and most recognisable automotive brands. The addition of impairment detection, to include alcohol impairment, broadens the capability of DMS and importantly, means that one system can now detect a larger portion of behavioural causes of traffic deaths and injuries."