A small, light, cop-in-the-pocket that prevents a vehicle from being started when the driver has had too much to drink is this year’s Automechanika 2013 Innovation Awards gold medalist.

The locally engineered system was designed by KwaZulu-Natal-based PFK Electronics, and is called the Autowatch Alcolock 740 WAB wireless vehicle breathalyser immobiliser system.

In the eyes of the jury which evaluated this year’s Innovation Awards entries, PFK’s breathalyser immobiliser was seen to represent “a significant step forward in the fight against drunk driving”.

The device is a further refinement of an earlier PFK breathalyser immobiliser, the 720 TAB which, in 2009, was awarded a silver certificate in the same competition.

Essentially, though, its aim remains similar – preventing drivers who are over a stipulated alcohol limit from starting their vehicles and delivering that data to a transport operator or vehicle owner.

The new product – which will be introduced to the market from this month – differs from the original in that it is no longer a tethered unit but wirelessly operated. It is also smaller, lighter and faster, with many new features, said PFK Electronics business development manager Donovan Devine at Wednesday’s awards function in Johannesburg. This includes an integrated fingerprint biometric reader which ensures that only the correct driver can use the unit to unlock a vehicle.

Tested for production over a period of 18 months and found to be accurate, secure and complying with international standards, the 740 WAB was described by jury members as a world leader: innovative, accurate, reliable and user-friendly.

“It is an outstanding product that promotes road safety by ensuring a vehicle driver’s sobriety in a discreet, yet efficient way,” the jury said in its assessment.

Devine said PFK exported the breathalyser to various countries, such as France where it is used in a schoolbus programme, as well as Sweden, the UK and US.

The 740 WAB is targeted at the light vehicle and taxi markets for aftermarket fitment, while the older 720 TAB is targeted at heavy vehicles, such as busses and trucks.

This year’s Innovation Awards received a number of entries from 14 countries, which were trimmed down to ten finalists after an initial judging process.

The winner was determined by an independent jury, with technical journalist Wynter Murdoch as the convenor. Jury members were United Nations Industrial Development Organisation chief technical advisor Richard Beän; independent automotive technician Chris Crookes; Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) editorial subcommittee chairperson John Ellmore; Financial Mail automotive editor David Furlonger; National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa executive manager Norman Lamprecht; RMI CEO Jeff Osborne and National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers executive director Roger Pitot.

The focus was on groundbreaking automotive products developed, manufactured or distributed in South Africa.

Automechanika opened its doors on Wednesday and will run to Saturday. With 616 exhibitors, of which 300 came from China and 150 from South Africa, the show has grown 12% from the 2011 event.