India, March 2 -- Cameras similar to those already on newer model cars, combined with facial recognition tools, could read the "tells" of impairment in the face and upper body of a driver, University of Michigan engineers have shown.

This low-cost system could effectively detect drunk, drowsy or distracted drivers before they get on the road-or while they are on the road. A new federal requirement for all new passenger vehicles to have this safeguard passed as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the deadline could come as soon as 2026.

The standards that these new safety systems will have to meet are currently under discussion, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's comment period closes March ...