Vehicle's booze control to keep Japanese drivers on the wagon

Motorists who flout the law by driving home after a few drinks will soon be up against a formidable foe: their cars.

Toyota is working on a system of sensors that will automatically shut down a car's engine if it thinks the person behind the wheel has had too much to drink.

Cars will use sensors on the steering wheel to measure the alcohol level in the driver's sweat, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported. If it is too high the car will not start.

The Japanese carmaker will introduce the gadget as an optional extra at the end of 2009 but hopes to install it in all models once the price has come down.