Government decides not to mandate interfaces for alcolocks in new cars - RAC reaction
Following the publication of the Government's response to its consultation on mandating certain vehicle safety systems, RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said:
“Given the Government has also consulted on introducing an alcohol interlocks (‘alcolocks’) programme for drink-drivers as part of its consultation on the road safety strategy, it’s disappointing it's decided that alcolock interfaces shouldn’t have to be fitted to vehicles as standard. It feels like an opportunity missed as it would have made it easier to fit alcolocks to the vehicles of repeat offenders in future.
“Nonetheless, just as many safety technologies like Intelligent Speed Assistance are already fitted to vehicles sold in the UK, it’s likely many future vehicles sold here will include alcolock interfaces anyway. This is because manufacturers often sell the same models both in the UK and in the EU, where alcolock interfaces are mandatory, to keep production costs down.
“This is not about alcolocks being fitted to all vehicles, it's about making it easier to get these devices put in the vehicles of repeat drink-drive offenders so they can't get behind the wheel drunk again. RAC research shows there is strong support among drivers for alcolocks being used in this way."
Important note: alcohol interlocks can still be fitted to vehicles, even without interfaces. The existence of an interface makes the process more straightforward
Press team
