Patent ID: 7413047

Claim:
An alcohol ignition interlock system for a vehicle having a battery, an ignition switch, a starter motor and an ignition system, the system comprising: a steering wheel; means for testing the mental and physical faculties of a user, said means comprising: a numeric keypad mounted to said steering wheel; a display mounted to said steering wheel, said display being in communication with said numeric keypad, said numeric keypad being adapted for entry of an authorizing numeric code by the user; a blood alcohol concentration sensor disposed on the steering wheel; and an ignition interlock control unit, the input to the control unit being connected to the output of the blood alcohol concentration sensor and to said means for testing the mental and physical faculties of the user, the control unit being adapted for being electrically connected to the vehicle's ignition switch, the starter motor and the battery, the control unit being programmed to disable the starter and the ignition system when the sensor detects a blood alcohol concentration exceeding a programmed limit, the starter further only being enabled upon entry of the authorizing numeric code by the user.