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From: decot@cwruecmp.UUCP (Dave Decot)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Technology Stops Drunk Driving?
Message-ID: <910@cwruecmp.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 18-Jan-84 23:58:04 EST
Article-I.D.: cwruecmp.910
Posted: Wed Jan 18 23:58:04 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 05:47:14 EST
Organization: CWRU Computer Engr. Cleveland, Ohio
Lines: 39

Laura Creighton brought up (in net.religion, as an aside) a concept that I have,
thought would be useful for significantly decreasing the incidence of driving
vehicles by persons whose vision or psychomotor coordination is not sufficient
to do so safely.

The concept is a device, to be installed in one's vehicle, so that the vehicle
cannot be started without first correctly entering a sequence of digits, which
changes and is displayed before each attempted ignition.

Although I can think of several problems with this kind of system, both
philosophical and practical, generally it seems to be a good idea.

Some of the problems:

	1) They must be required by law, inspected for presence and correct
	   operation periodically, and made easy to use by ANY competent
	   driver, or drivers will not use them.  Expense is probably not a
	   major issue, because technology is cheap.

	2) "Clever" owners will find ways to secretly disconnect them for use
	   and reconnect them for inspection.

	3) Persons, particularly Americans, will resent such a law as an
	   infringement on their right to travel freely.

	4) Well-intentioned friends may "aid" the actual driver by performing
	   the task for him.

	5) Such a task may not be complex enough for people experienced with
	   the device, and can be be performed "automatically."  (But, I
	   suppose, so can safe driving behavior.)

I think somebody has already tried doing this type of thing, but I don't
remember hearing what finally happened.

Ideas?  Comments?  Info?

Dave Decot
decvax!cwruecmp!decot    (Decot.Case@rand-relay)