New cars will require new tech, like an alcohol-detection system

Q

Seems like every day I hear about a driver killed in a drunk driving crash despite all the efforts to reduce this carnage. What else can be done?

— Fred Ramos and

many more

A

Every 52 minutes in the U.S., a person dies in a drunk driving crash.

Included in the details of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a provision requiring an advanced vehicle technology standard expected to prevent more than 9,400 drunk driving deaths annually, once the new technology is in use in new vehicles. The estimate comes from U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The technology standard will require:

• An alcohol detection system that uses sensors to determine whether a driver is drunk and if so, prevents the vehicle from moving.

• Driving performance monitoring systems that monitor vehicle movement using cameras and sensors outside the vehicle, such as lane departure warning and attention assist.

• Systems that monitor the driver’s head and eyes, typically using a camera or other sensors inside the vehicle.

Some of this technology is available now, but soon it will be required in all new vehicles.

The new law gives NHTSA three years to issue a final standard. Automakers then have two to three years to implement it. New cars equipped with the technology could start rolling off the assembly line in 2026-2027.

Q

Your column is fun. Not fun was misplacing Mrs. Roadshow’s birthday shrimp/pasta recipe.

— Elsa S.

A

From Mrs. Roadshow: Here’s the rigatoni with shrimp and feta cheese recipe that Gary likes for special dinners. It’s adapted from the San Francisco Encore cookbook. We often double the recipe because this is so good reheated, too. Enjoy!

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled and cubed

• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried basil)

• 1 teaspoon dried crumbled oregano

• ½ teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground pepper (to taste)

• 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

• 12 ounces rigatoni Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Saute shrimp just until they turn pink. Transfer shrimp and pan juices to a baking dish.

Add remaining oil to the skillet. Briefly saute garlic.

Add wine and cook for 2 minutes over high heat. Stir in tomatoes, basil and oregano.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle feta cheese over shrimp. Spoon tomato sauce over the shrimp. Cover the dish and bake for 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until tender but firm. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.

Add the shrimp-feta-tomato mixture and gently mix with the rigatoni noodles. Serve immediately.