フィガロ技研（株）は、日本のアルコール検知器の第一人者でもあり、さらにいえば、インターロック業界の歴史を切り開いたパイオニア企業だと、あらためて思った日。

アルコールインターロック

アルコール検知器

2026.10.9

当社東海電子なんかよりもずっと以前から、「アルコールセンサー」や「アルコールチェッカー」をやっていた大先輩企業、それが　フィガロ技研株式会社である。

とくに、ずっとあとに知ったが、創業者の田口さんという方は、アメリカでも有名で、アメリカのインターロック業界では知らぬひとはいない（と、聞いたことがある）。

実際、1980年代前後、アルコールインターロックをやろうとするメーカーは、アルコールセンサーをまず探さなければならず、そのときだいたいたどり着くのが、フィガロ技研のアルコールセンサーだったのである（と、聞いたことがある）。

でも、本当だと思う。

ほら。

DESCRIPTION OF CURRENT TECHNOLOGY
In the mid 1980’s a number of alcohol ignition interlock devices were developed by private companies and three became commercially available in the United States. These devices are systems designed to prevent drivers whose breath.alcohol concentration is above a preset level from starting their cars. They require the driver to pass a breath alcohol test before the car can be started. It should be noted that a similar device, called the Lincoln
Co-Driver, was developed and marketed in New Zealand in the early 1980’s.

Also, a device called the Vehicle Breath Monitor (VBM) was developed in Australia by a group of private companies in 1985. This device is currently
eing examined by the Victorian provincial agency, the Road Traffic Authority (RTA, 1987).
The new American devices appear to be marketed primarily to traffic courts for use with drivers charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) who may be required to install one of these devices on their car as a condition of probation. The manufacturers also envision a voluntary market for their devices, including such scenarios as patents who want to exercise more control over their inexperienced teenaged driving children, fleet wners, and persons who may want to impose more external control over their own behavior. However,
the manufacturers do not appear to be aggressively pursuing such markets at the present time.
The three breath test interlock devices currently available in the U.S. (for sale or lease), and their manufacturers are, in alphabetical order:

o “Autosense”, manufactured by Autosense Corp., 3496 Breakwater Court, Hayward, CA 94545
o “Guardian Interlock”, manufactured by Guardian Interlock System, Inc., 1009 Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203

o “Safety Interlock”, manufactured by Safety Interlock, Inc., P. 0. Box 221818, Carmel, CA 93922
These devices are fairly similar. Each is composed of three components, namely, an alcohol breath test unit, an electronic control device, and a connector to the vehicle’s ignition and electrical system. The part of each Je”rice having the alcohol. sensor is a hand-held unit approximately the size of a CB radio microphone. It is connected by a flexible cable to the electronic unit, which is mounted in or under the dashboard. The driver turns on the device and then blows into the mouthpiece of the alcohol sensor. Depending on the outcome of the breath analysis, the driver can then start the car, or if the amount of alcohol detected is above a preset level, the ignition will be locked.
The three devices use a “Tagucci” cell (manufactured by Figaro Inc.) to sense alcohol in the air sample tested. This semiconductor sensor detects low concentrations of ethyl alcohol, though it requires preheating, is sensitive to temperature and humidity, and has been known to require relatively frequent calibration to maintain its accuracy. On the whole it is a simple form of breath tester, found in-some portable preliminary breath testing units used by the police. It is not as sophisticated as the evidential quality breath testers used by the police.
A brief overview of how each device is operated follows (see Appendix A for an illustration of each device):