Global Unveiling of DADSS Technology

To kick off MADD’s 35th Anniversary Conference in Washington, D.C., nearly 400 MADD volunteers and staff attended the global unveiling of the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) test vehicle on Thursday, June 4, 2015.

The Honorable Mark Rosekind, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), led the event and pledged support for development of in-car technology that will one day prevent a car from starting if the driver’s blood alcohol concentration is .08 or above. Senator Tom Udall and Representative Nita Lowey vowed to fight for continued funding of DADSS, a research partnership between NHTSA and an industry consortium to develop a touch-based and breath based technology that would one day be installed in new vehicles.

MADD attendees were able to view the test vehicle, which is equipped with mock-up DADDS technology that researchers will use to examine driver interactions with the system.

MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church reflected on the progress MADD and its partners have made in MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, through high visibility law enforcement, passing laws in 25 states that require drunk drivers to install ignition interlocks, and in helping to secure funding and support for DADSS.

“MADD is proud that we have worked every step of the way with our partners in the federal government, the auto industry, and Capitol Hill to get funding authorized and appropriated to ensure DADSS succeeds.  We will continue our efforts until DADSS is ready for the marketplace,” said MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church. “This is the future, when drunk drivers will be unable to drive their car. While we still have a lot of work to do, we are closer than ever to eliminating drunk driving and creating a future of No More Victims.”