Development of Vehicle Alcohol and Driver Seat Detection Integrated with Engine Starting System

In recent years, alcohol-impaired driving has contributed significantly to fatal road accidents. A World Health Organization (WHO) report in 2018 revealed that there were 2, 364 drunk driving-related accidents between 2010 and 2018, resulting in 1, 196 deaths. On average, 132 fatalities occur annually, with one life lost every three days due to alcohol-related crashes. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for effective prevention strategies. To address this issue, researchers have conducted numerous studies on alcohol detection systems for drivers. While many devices can detect the presence of alcohol, detection alone is insufficient to prevent drunk driving. Effective systems must be integrated with the vehicle’s starting mechanism and designed to prevent circumvention of driver monitoring. Such integration ensures that if a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeds the legal threshold, the vehicle remains immobilized, thereby preventing impaired individuals from operating it. Therefore, this study presents the development of the Vehicle Alcohol and Driver Seat Detection Integrated with Engine Starting System (VADSS). This system employed Arduino UNO, a seat occupancy sensor, a door switch and an MQ-3 alcohol sensor, which responded sharply when BAC levels exceeded 0.05%. Experimental results showed that the MQ-3 alcohol sensor resistance increased from 180 Ω to 920 Ω within one second, activating the vehicle starting mechanism. Furthermore, the system verified that the driver was properly seated, ensuring the engine would only start when the individual was sober and present. By integrating alcohol detection with the vehicle’s starting mechanism and seat verification, VADSS minimizes opportunities for manipulation and provides an effective approach to reduce drunk driving incidents.