A lot of drunk driving cases involve those borderline blood alcohol content results. Science can help individuals predict about how many drinks they can have before they cross that magic legal limit of 0.08 BAC.
The truth is that these calculations are only an educated guess. Food consumption, hydration, genetics and even sleep can all affect how alcohol affects an individual, and legal problems could even arise from blood alcohol contents below 0.08. Could new Google cars take the guessing factor out of the situation and prevent an individual from ever being charged with a DUI again?
Google’s research team from the department “Google X” has been working hard to develop a vehicle that can drive itself. We aren’t talking about technology that allows an individual to make some maneuvers hands-free, like the parallel-park technology that already exists. We are talking about a 100 percent self-driving automobile.
The truth is that the idea of a self-driving car isn’t relatively new; Google researchers have been at it for years now, but it still isn’t ready for release. In the past, researchers have modified an already existing Lexus model. Now, researchers are looking to develop an entirely new prototype from the ground up.
This latest prototype is something out of the space-age, with bubbled features, a dome at the top and literally no brake or gas pedal. Sensors take in the surroundings, including other moving objects such as cyclists and pedestrians to determine a safe route.
Researchers and other experts don’t think that our generation will be able to purchase an entirely self-driving vehicle for everyday use any time soon -- possibly not even in our lifetime. That being said, drivers in Martinsburg will have to continue making that educated guess if they decide to have even one drink. With this unpredictability, drivers should have the number for a good DUI defense attorney.
Source: West Virginia Public Broadcasting, “Google Is Becoming A Car Manufacturer,” Aarti Shahani, May 28, 2014