In-car breathalyzers are already a fixture for repeat offenders. Court-mandated hardware that no one would mistake for a modern driving experience. Aftermarket ignition interlocks are clumsy, easy to tamper with, and prone to contamination from sitting inside a hot car. Hyundai has filed a patent with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office that proposes building the whole thing into the car from the factory.
The system lives in the steering wheel. According to the patent uncovered by CarBuzz researchers, drawings show a flap in the lower spoke that opens to admit breath and closes to protect the sensor when it isn't in use. A fan pulls air through to an alcohol sensor, an air outlet, and a drain meant to vent moisture and prevent mold buildup.
The detection itself is conventional. The sensor measures breath alcohol, and if you're over the set limit, the car won't start. Notably, no part of the driver's mouth touches the car, which makes it more hygienic and, Hyundai argues, easier for mechanics to service than current bolt-on units. The patent also cites a less compelling complaint about aftermarket devices — that they detract "from the aesthetics in the vehicle."
This is where enthusiasts should pay attention. Per the patent, the vehicle would monitor for "a driving pattern of the vehicle that is predetermined to be a careless driving pattern." Detect that pattern, and the car can demand a fresh breath sample. Anyone who has fought a modern Hyundai's hair-trigger drowsy-driving alerts can imagine being asked to blow every few minutes on a twisty road.
The system would also watch the driver's face. Spot a change in who's behind the wheel, and it could demand a new test or reject the one it just got — a countermeasure against the passenger-lean-over trick, or the apocryphal dog blowing into the tube.
A patent filing is not a product plan. It's intellectual-property insurance, and it cannot be read as confirmation of production intent. But the obvious endgame here is mandatory built-in alcohol detection in all vehicles, a fight for safety experts, privacy advocates, and lawyers. Positioning Hyundai as the official car of your third DWI, however, is a tough brief for any marketing department.
[Image: Hyundai]
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