Volvo Cars says it is the first manufacturer to launch a fully integrated in-car alcolock system called Alcoguard, which will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The driver blows into a wireless hand-held unit, the breath is then analysed and if the blood-alcohol limit is exceeded, the engine simply will not start.
It will be available as an accessory in the UK on the Volvo S80, V70 and XC70 during early 2008 and will extend to other models in the Volvo range later next year.
Volvo estimates global sales of 2,000 units a year – a figure expected to increase over time.
Alcoguard employs the same fuel-cell technology used by the majority of police forces in Europe. Before the car can be started, the driver has to blow into the wireless hand-held unit which is stored and charged behind the centre console.
The driver’s breath is then analysed and the results are transmitted via radio signal to the car’s electronic control system. The car’s information unit displays messages to help the driver use the device, for instance, to indicate if the test was approved or if the driver needs to exhale longer into the hand-held unit.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataIf the blood-alcohol limit of 20mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (Swedish limit – but Volvo dealer can adjust to UK limit of 80mg/100ml) is exceeded, a red LED will appear and the engine will not start.
Further results of the breathalyser test are also shown via two other LEDs. Green means 0 – 10mg alcohol per 100ml of blood and the car engine will start, while yellow signals 10mg – 20mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood and the car will start but the driver is advised not to drive.
The breathalyser results are stored for 30 minutes after the engine has been turned off, so if the driver stops for a short while they do not need to repeat the procedure.
“Fuel-cell technology is more expensive but it also produces far better results. Unlike semi-conductors, for instance, fuel-cells only react to ethanol and nothing else. In the fuel-cell, the ethanol molecules pass through a sensitive membrane and an electrical current is generated. This current is then measured. Higher current means more alcohol in the driver’s breath,” says David Nilsson, Volvo Cars technical project manager.
The hand-held unit is wireless, which makes it possible for the driver to remove it from the car. Although it will always give an accurate measurement of blood-alcohol level no matter where it is used, it has to be within 10 metres of the car to communicate with the car’s system.
Service and battery replacement in the hand-held unit are carried out together with the car’s regular servicing. If the next owner of the car does not wish to use the system, it is easy for a Volvo dealer to remove it.
“We have aimed to make as convenient and user-friendly a solution as possible. The technology should require as little extra work as possible from the driver. The easier the system is to use, the greater the number of people who will use it,” says David Nilsson.
Volvo says ‘Helping the driver make the right decisions
Alcoguard should be seen as a supporting system’.
The company adds: ‘It is always up to the driver to make decisions based on up-to-date information from Alcoguard.’
For emergency situations or if the hand-held unit is lost, there is a bypass function that can be activated. There are two alternatives for activating this function. The first allows the driver to bypass the system an unlimited number of times and the second only allows one bypass. Changes to these settings must be carried out by a Volvo dealer.
