Regardless of whether a car runs on electricity or petrol, or can mostly drive itself, it's still a problem that some select few chooses to drink alcohol and drive, which of course results in thousands of accidents and deaths every year.
So, how do car manufacturers combat this? Well, BMW has applied for a new patent, which would in theory combine the car key with a breathalyzer. The idea is that it would require passing the breathalyzer test in order for the key to deactivate the immobilizer.
According to the patent, the driver must blow into the breathalyzer, which is either mobile or installed in the car, and it would adhere to local limits for legal blood alcohol levels.
If the driver fails the test, the car would still warm up, turn on the radio and other smart functions, but it would still be immobilized, allowing the user to call for a taxi or another driver.