NHTSA Awards Takata-TruTouch $2.25M to Advance World's First Touch-based In-Vehicle Alcohol Detection Device
Technological advances could allow for a completely new non-invasive solution to be on-the-road within this decade
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine every time you go to start a vehicle it could potentially provide your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) in an instant, just from touching the ignition button. This scenario could be a reality within the decade, and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) through Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) and The Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) recognizes this system's capacity to save lives as an additional tool to help address one of the most significant road safety problems around the world. .
To aid with the continued advancement of the life-saving technology, a $2.25M award has been made to Takata in partnership with TruTouch Technologies to develop an in-vehicle solution that could help keep drunk drivers off the road, potentially saving hundreds-of-thousands of lives lost in alcohol-impaired crashes globally every year. As this technology advances and is incorporated into automobiles, it has the capacity to potentially help eliminate drunk driving.
"We are already enjoying tremendous success with this technology in the law enforcement, oil and drilling, military, and transportation markets," said Dr. Richard D. Gill, President and CEO of TruTouch. "Together with Takata, our mission is to help eliminate alcohol-impaired dangers on the road and save lives. This NHTSA award will help expedite the work to adapt the technology for use in automotive applications where customers demand quick, accurate, and cost-effective in-vehicle solutions to ensure safe vehicle operation."
"As a company solely dedicated to automotive safety, we are excited with the contract from DADSS/ACTS to develop the TruTouch sensors for use in automotive, commercial vehicle and heavy equipment applications," added Kirk Morris, Vice President of Business Development of TK Holdings Inc., the NA subsidiary of Takata Corporation. "The objective is to develop tools to help intoxicated drivers from operating the vehicle if they are impaired, and to do so in a personal, non-intrusive manner."
The TruTouch technology utilizes an advanced intoxication detection technology that measures a person's alcohol level through the use of infrared light. With TruTouch, a person's BAC is determined when placing their finger on a near infrared sensor that analyzes the alcohol concentration in his or her body. The device can produce accurate results in seconds and has a built-in biometric system to prevent tampering. The ultimate objective is to embrace this advanced technology and develop an automotive solution equipped to combat the global problem of alcohol related accidents. The Takata/TruTouch products require no user training, and no operator assistance.
About TruTouch Technologies
TruTouch Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures and sells patented noninvasive biometric alcohol testing systems into both existing and emerging alcohol testing markets. Inspired by the potential to place its passive, durable systems virtually anywhere, TruTouch's vision is to create a world where intoxication is routinely intercepted before it does harm.
Current and future TruTouch applications include:
- Work Force Safety Systems for testing of on duty impairment by alcohol
- Medical Diagnostic Systems
- Alcohol Point-Of-Sale Liability Reduction Systems
- Law Enforcement Systems
- Industrial Safety Systems
- Vehicle Safety Systems
About Takata
Takata Corporation is a global leader in passive and active safety systems. Its customers include nearly every automotive manufacturer and several Tier One suppliers. Its technology features a strong emphasis on safety restraint systems, air bags, safety electronics, interior trim, and special fabrics and textile materials. Takata's worldwide sales approach $5 billion annually, with the company operating 46 manufacturing locations in 17 countries, and 11 research and development locations on three continents. Takata employs about 35,000 people globally, with more than 18,500 in North America.
To view a brief video of the TruTouch Technology, visit: http://youtu.be/RTuMsOx1dZ4
SOURCE Takata
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