The ignition interlock industry is always looking to utilize the latest technologies to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of the interlock device. It’s the goal of interlock providers to ensure that program participants are discouraged from attempting to drink and drive and are caught if they try to circumvent the program.

A couple additions to some interlock programs around the country have recently sparked controversy, but it appears that they may be the future of the industry. In-car cameras and GPS trackers allow for real-time reporting of violations as well as vehicle location upon violations. Some have argued these additions are intrusive and shouldn’t be allowed, but this “intrusiveness” is merely a result of chronic drunk drivers who have found ways to “beat” their devices, from getting someone else to blow in the device for them to electronically tampering with the device.

As a way to combat a person’s ability to trick their device, in-car cameras, which are suction-cupped to the windshield, will record program participants to ensure that they are the ones actually blowing into the device to start the vehicle and completing the random retests while the vehicle is in motion. While the participant blows into the device, the camera will take a picture, complete with a time stamp to verify the photo was taken as the breath sample was taken. Depending on the degree of a person’s DUI conviction, they may be restricted from driving in certain areas or only permitted to drive to work. This can be monitored with a GPS tracker that comes as part of the person’s interlock program.

Both of these additions are currently outside the realm of North Carolina standards for interlocks, so Monitech devices don’t utilize either. However, other interlock providers owned by the same parent company as Monitech are using them as they seem to be the future of interlock programs nationwide.

Learn more about Monitech’s interlock program.