Patent ID: 8479864

Claim:
A system for disabling the operation of a vehicle when a driver of a vehicle is seated in a vehicle seat comprising: an alcohol detection sensor configured to be contacted by the driver and to generate a detection signal based on contact between the driver and the detection sensor; a sensing electrode located proximate to the driver; a sensing circuit configured to provide a sensing signal to the sensing electrode thereby causing a current in the electrode; wherein the sensing circuit is configured to provide a signal representative of the current in the electrode; a controller configured to detect a change in the representative signal resulting from both the presence of the driver and contact between the driver and the detection sensor; and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the blood alcohol content of the driver exceeds a threshold based on the detection signal and is configured to disable the vehicle when either the change in the representative signal is not a result of the driver contacting the detection sensor or the blood alcohol content of the driver exceeds a threshold.