Alcohol sensor market
With the rapid development of the automobile industry and the gradual increase in car ownership, car driving safety has become the focus of today’s society. Drunk driving is one of the important factors causing current road traffic accidents. Therefore, in order to reduce losses and personal safety accidents caused by drunk driving, intelligent monitoring systems to prevent drunk driving have become the focus of research in all walks of life. With the development of Internet of Things technology and sensor technology, countries around the world continue to develop anti-drunk driving systems for cars.
Alcohol sensor market
The alcohol sensor market is experiencing significant growth. It is reported that the European Commission has adopted a new regulation requiring new cars in the EU to be equipped with built-in alcohol testers. Once the instrument detects that the driver is drunk and driving, the vehicle engine will not start. This approach effectively prevents drivers from driving under the influence. Starting from May 2022, all new cars in the EU will need to install alcohol testers. EU countries attach great importance to this new regulation, and it may serve as a reference for introducing similar regulations in other regions, including China.
While China currently has strict supervision of drunk driving, there are no specific requirements for vehicles to be equipped with alcohol testing instruments. However, it is possible that the domestic traffic supervision market may follow the EU’s lead in the future. The alcohol tester industry in China is still in the growth stage, but it has accumulated sufficient technology, market, and industry experience, and is entering a stage of rapid development.
Alcohol sensor application
Apart from built-in alcohol testers, there are other methods available on the market to prevent drunk driving. For example, there are anti-drunk driving mobile phones that feature small alcohol sensors capable of detecting the alcohol concentration in the driver’s breath. Additionally, car-mounted alcohol detectors issue warnings when the alcohol concentration in the driver’s breath reaches a certain level. If the driver does not stop, the detector can actively issue a command to the vehicle’s electronic control unit (ECU) to prevent the vehicle from starting or slow it down to a stop. In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration developed a highly sensitive in-vehicle alcohol detection system that can prevent the car from starting when the alcohol content in the driver’s body exceeds the legal limit of 0.08% in the US.
These anti-drunk driving methods rely on the participation of sensors, particularly alcohol sensors. Alcohol sensors are primarily used to detect whether a driver has consumed alcohol and, if so, the level of alcohol concentration. They are an essential tool for traffic police to check whether drivers’ alcohol consumption exceeds the legal limits, aiming to reduce major road traffic accidents caused by drinking and driving. MEMS gas sensors can be used to detect the content of ethanol gas in the air. Alcohol sensors offer low power consumption, high sensitivity, solid structure, MEMS technology, a simple drive circuit, and fast response and recovery characteristics. They can be utilized for detecting ethanol vapor in various consumer products such as mobile phones and computers, as well as for monitoring the alcohol levels of motor vehicle drivers and operators in order to ensure safety.
