Vehicles will need to add the technology by 2027 to remain eligible for the Top Safety Pick+ designation. (Credit: Kadmy/Adobe Stock)
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety will start requiring vehicles that earn its top safety designation to have impaired driving and speed detection systems.
Vehicles that would like to remain eligible for IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ rating will have to add the features by 2027.
The change was announced during a Mothers Against Drunk Driving roundtable. The new standards aim to reduce crashes caused by speeding or alcohol, two of the top causes of traffic deaths in the U.S.
“As part of our 30×30 vision to cut U.S. road deaths 30% by 2030, we are committed to addressing the risky — and often illegal — behavior that underlies most [traffic] fatalities today,” said David Harkey, IIHS president, in a statement.
Intelligent speed assistance alerts drivers when they’re exceeding the speed limit. Some systems can slow the car automatically if adaptive cruise control is on. However, drivers can disable the feature.
Alcohol detection systems use sensors, from “air sniffers” to touch pads, to determine if a driver is too impaired to drive. The vehicle then shuts down to prevent the person from operating it.
IIHS’ announcement aligns with a federal mandate to add passive alcohol detection systems to all new cars built after 2026. But regulators postponed the implementation of that mandate so the National Highway Traffic Administration could evaluate the accuracy of alcohol detection systems’ technology.
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