A privacy-preserving and low-cost system for preventing cheats in in-vehicle alcohol detection

Objectives: Young people are easily impulsive and influenced by their peers, so they lead to a high crash rate than adults when they consume alcohol. To forcibly prevent them from drunk driving is very important. Therefore, an in-vehicle system for preventing cheats in alcohol detection is innovatively designed according to the driving habits in China. Methods: In the system, the driver's safety belt, an air pressure sensor, and four pressure sensors are complementary to the alcohol detection. A methodology for calculating barycentric coordinates of the driver using pressure data on the driver's seat is derived using the theorem on moment of resultant force. The system is assembled, and experiments are carried out to determine critical parameter values and to verify the feasibility of the system. Results: Control parameters of the system are set to be breath pressure, changes in bodyweight and barycentric coordinates of the driver, aiming to avoid cheating behaviors in the process of alcohol detecting and infringing personal privacy in a relatively cheap mean. Experimental results demonstrate that the system can run smoothly and reliably. It can effectively detect cheating behaviors and control the ignition circuit of the vehicle not to start when the driver consumes alcohol. Conclusions: Confronting the urgent demand to eradicate drunk driving, the system can effectively prevent these who neglect Road Traffic Law or are easily impulsive and influenced by their peers from drunk driving.