EU regulation: device for installing an alcohol immobilizer becomes mandatory
Created: 06/15/2022, 14:58
By: Stella Henrich
From July 6th there will be an alcohol immobilizer in cars.
This is what an EU regulation wants.
The plan is to make Europe's streets safer.
Munich - One drop too many at the wheel and the rag is gone.
The EU declares war on traffic offenders.
"Whoever drinks, runs" - under this motto, so to speak, drivers are now being slowed down by the safety regulations of the EU Commission in order to better protect pedestrians and cyclists, but also all other road users on Europe's roads.
As early as July 6th, an interface for the alcohol immobilizer must be planned for every new vehicle type.
This is a control system in the vehicle designed to prevent driving under the influence of alcohol.
In concrete terms, this means that a driver is prevented from starting the engine by his car if he exceeds the permitted blood alcohol level.
To do this, he blows into a control device beforehand.
EU regulation: Every other day someone dies in an alcohol-related accident
And it's true.
Alcohol and driving is a fatal combination if official figures are to be believed.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 17,000 accidents happened in Germany alone in 2020 because at least one driver was under the influence of alcohol.
A total of 15,647 people were injured, 156 of them died, the Federal Office announced.
On average, one person was killed in an alcohol-related accident almost every other day.
Alcohol and driving are a fatal combination.
(symbol image) © Joko/mago
With the immobilizer - a so-called integrated alcohol interlock system - and other assistance systems in cars, the EU wants to make the roads safer and reduce the number of road deaths overall.
The device must enable the installation of an alcohol-sensitive immobilizer - also known as Alkolock for short - and the installation or retrofitting of an alcohol-sensitive immobilizer.
The requirements for this interface are regulated across the EU, a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Transport told RTL.
From July 7, 2024 at the latest, all newly registered vehicles must have such an interface.
EU Regulation: There is no alcohol immobilizer law yet
According to RTL, there is currently no law in Germany that allows the use of an alcohol immobilizer.
The Federal Ministry of Transport states that the installation of alcohol-sensitive immobilizers in all motor vehicles is not prescribed by law.
It is also not planned - neither at European nor at national level.
The legal situation - In Germany there is
currently no legal basis for the mandatory installation of alcohol immobilizers
.
Experts see the measure as a contradiction to the principle of proportionality and the right to property, but also to the right to general freedom of action.
And road traffic law takes a clear stance on the point of “withdrawal of a driver’s license”: “If someone proves to be unsuitable or incapable of driving a motor vehicle, the driver’s license authority must withdraw their driver’s license.” (§3 StVG) drivers are no longer allowed to drive a car drive.
In addition, technical and legal measures would be necessary in the event of an immobilizer obligation to prevent misuse or manipulation, the spokeswoman continued to quote RTL.
For drivers, this means in plain language: The mandatory use of an alcohol immobilizer will not come any time soon, even if the first interfaces with the EU regulation are already being planned.
You can of course have this lock installed voluntarily at any time.
In Germany, bus companies, logistics companies and taxi fleets are already using such barriers, writes
Spiegel.de
.
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This is how the alcohol lock works
The lock consists of two devices.
A hand-held measuring device and a control unit that is installed under the dashboard in the vehicle and establishes the connection to the car.
1. The key is turned and the ignition is operated with it.
2. The driver will be asked to take the alcohol test.
3. The driver blows into the breathalyzer.
4. The device now calculates the alcohol content in the driver's breath and outputs this as the result.
5. The limit value can be freely programmed beforehand.
Of course, the legal alcohol limit of the respective country makes sense here.
If the value is above the limit value, the engine will not start because the starter is blocked by the control unit.
Source: Alcohol Tester-Infos.de
EU regulation: data is recorded and stored in encrypted form by lock
An Alkolock device collects a lot of data.
Such as date, time, alcohol level, refusal to take a breath test, engine starts and attempts to start.
The data is stored in encrypted form on the control unit and can only be read out with special software and the necessary access rights.
Critics of this system point out that the Alkolock device can be easily tricked, for example if the passenger blows instead of the driver himself. According to
Autobild.de
, the price for an alcohol immobilizer is between 1500 and 2000 euros.
Added to this are the costs for installation and annual calibration of the device.
EU regulation: This applies in other European countries
In France, every driver is required to have a disposable breathalyser in the car.
In the Netherlands, drivers who have become conspicuous under the influence of alcohol are obliged to retrofit an alcohol immobilizer.
Your driving license will be revoked until the lock is installed.
In Poland it is compulsory to have an alcolock installed if you are caught drunk driving.
The Swedes can oblige conspicuous drivers to install a lock.
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