Car manufacturer Toyota is developing a drunk-busting car system which will, in the event of excess consumption on the part of the driver, shut down the vehicle.

According to Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun, cars kitted out with the system won't start if sweat sensors incorporated into the steering wheel detect an over-the-limit level of blood alcohol. It may also slow the car to a halt if sensors pick up erratic steering, or even if a camera spies unfocused pupils.

The plan is to fit Toyota cars with the device by 2009.

The idea is not, of course, new. Back in 2005, we reported on the US man who'd developed a similar system relying on "sensors either in gloves or on the steering wheel". This avoids the pitfall of the immobilising breathalyser, which relies on the willing participation of the half-cut driver. ®

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