System and method to restrict vehicle operations in response to driver impairment

A system to restrict manual vehicle operations in response to a detection of vehicle occupant intoxication due to the vehicle occupant being under the influence of drugs or alcohol or both drugs and alcohol such that the vehicle occupant is not legally permitted to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode, the system comprising:

• a memory configured to comprise one or more executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the executable instructions, wherein the executable instructions enable the processor to:
• detect a vehicle occupant is in an intoxicated state;
• in response to detecting the vehicle occupant is in the intoxicated state:
• when a vehicle is in an autonomous driving mode, restrict the vehicle occupant from being able to shift the vehicle to a manual driving mode;
• and
• when the vehicle is in the manual driving mode, provide a notification configured to warn the vehicle occupant of risks associated with operating the vehicle while in the intoxicated state and the notification being configured to recommend that the vehicle occupant shifts the vehicle to the autonomous driving mode.

A vehicle configured to shift between a manual driving mode and an autonomous driving mode, the vehicle comprising:

• an impairment sensor configured to detect when a vehicle occupant is intoxicated due to the vehicle occupant being under the influence of drugs or alcohol or both drugs and alcohol such that the vehicle occupant is not legally permitted to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode;
• and
• a memory configured to comprise one or more executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the executable instructions, wherein the executable instructions enable the processor to:
• detect, via the impairment sensor, a vehicle occupant is in an intoxicated state;
• in response to detecting the vehicle occupant is in the intoxicated state:
• when in the autonomous driving mode, restrict the vehicle occupant from being able to shift to the manual driving mode;
• and
• when in the manual driving mode, provide a notification configured to warn the vehicle occupant of risks associated with operating the vehicle while in the intoxicated state and the notification being configured to recommend that the vehicle occupant shifts the vehicle to the autonomous driving mode.