The history of Discover Nine and ALCOLOCK™
Discover Nine is a South African company that operates as the dealer for Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (ACS) in South Africa. Discover Nine’s main product is the ACS ALCOLOCK™ V3 – an alcohol interlock used in commercial applications.
In early 2013 David Lynch, the founder of Discover Nine, realised that South Africa was in need of a real solution for the prevalent drinking and driving problem. He was particularly interested in approaching commercial fleets, as their commitment to safety is more pervasive than a single member of the public’s would be. To solve this problem Discover Nine needed to find a manufacturer of a commercial alcohol interlock.
The criteria Discover Nine used to find a supplier were simple; they wanted a unit specifically designed for use in commercial applications and they wanted the best unit on the market. This lead Discover Nine to the doors of Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (ACS) in Toronto, Canada.
Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (International) Inc., commonly known as ACS, is an international group of companies with one common purpose – to promote road safety through industry-leading breath alcohol testing technology.
ACS began as a research division of Borg-Warner in 1970 with the mandate to develop a technology that would prevent the operation of a vehicle by a drunk driver. The research was successful and in 1976 the group was incorporated as Alcohol Countermeasure Systems in Canada and the USA. This life saving innovation became known as the breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID or IID).
In 1991, Felix J.E. Comeau acquired both companies: Alcohol Countermeasure Systems Corp. in Canada and Alcohol Countermeasure Systems, Inc. in the USA. Under his guidance, ACS developed new alcohol sensing technologies used in a variety of applications spanning a variety of markets including automotive, industrial, law enforcement, as well as public and personal safety.
Today, ACS employs over 500 talented individuals to design, manufacture and market the most accurate and reliable alcohol sensing equipment and to deliver the most professional alcohol interlock services through offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia and now Africa.
The ALCOLOCK™ lines of alcohol interlock devices are used in truck, bus, taxi fleets and even earth moving equipment around the world to promote safe driving and to comply with local transport laws. ALCOLOCK™ personnel and dealers provide fleet owners with innovative fleet management solutions to protect their drivers, cargo and commercial assets.
In France and Finland the use of alcohol interlocks is mandatory in vehicles carrying school children. Increasingly, legislators are considering the use of alcohol interlocks for passenger transport and commercial vehicles including heavy vehicles and those that carry dangerous goods.
ACS gained ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 quality certifications to ensure the highest standard for their line of products and associated services while balancing their respect for the environment.
ACS is the only alcohol interlock device manufacturer to achieve TS 16949, asserting their commitment to the automotive OEM market and to overall manufacturing quality. This quality certification accorded ACS Tier-one supplier status to several OEM truck and bus manufacturers including the Volvo Group.
The South African problem
It is no secret that there is a major drinking and driving problem in South Africa. Our lack of stringent legislation, coupled with inadequate law enforcement, makes for a very sad story and ultimately does little to incentivise ‘driving dry’.
18 000 people die on our roads annually. This is unacceptable. When David Lynch travelled to Canada in 2013, ACS was shocked to hear the number of road fatalities that South Africa experiences every year. In Canada there are on average 2 000 deaths per year – in South Africa we have that many deaths over the 4 days of Easter weekend.
As many of you know, the two main killers on the road are speed and alcohol. And the two often go hand-in-hand. There is only one way to reduce the carnage, and that is to take law enforcement into our own hands. Vehicle tracking companies have taken great strides in making sure large commercial vehicles are obeying the speed limit, and Discover Nine – ALCOLOCK™ wants to make similar strides to ensure that the drivers of commercial vehicles are not impaired at any point during their journey.
Why choose Discover Nine – ALCOLOCK™?
The ACS ALCOLOCK™ has been tested in the toughest environments. The V3 unit is specifically designed for commercial use and can withstand vibration, dirt, dust, humidity and extreme temperatures. The unit has been, and is being, used extensively in Europe, Canada and USA. ACS is the only alcohol interlock device manufacturer to achieve TS 16949, asserting their commitment to the automotive OEM market and to overall manufacturing quality. ACS has Tier-one supplier status to several OEM truck and bus manufacturers including the Volvo Group – proof that the ACS ALCOLOCK™ is the best alcohol interlock on the market.
The direct benefits of using an ALCOLOCK™ are:
• Cost savings through a reduction in accidents and loss of cargo/stock,
• Increasing efficiency by identifying ‘problem employees’,
• Protection of fleet assets,
• The knowledge that your drivers are never under the influence of alcohol whilst operating your vehicles,
• Competitive advantage by proving to your customers that you are committed to road safety,
• Fleet managers can get detail on their drivers’ drinking habits,
• Making our roads a safer place for all.
With buy-in from commercial fleet operators, the awareness around the severity of drinking and driving will filter down to the general public. Hopefully one day, we too can have a legal system that supports a drinking and driving offender program for convicted drunk drivers – this will be a major lifesaver and will make our roads safer for all who use them.
Discover Nine is a company that strives to provide solutions for commercial customers. We have a passion for customer service and are absolutely focused on providing our customers with solutions that work and service that is unparrallelled.
For more detail on our products and solutions please contact us. We would love to tailor a value adding solution for your business.