An interlock installed in a vehicle is an alcohol interlock device that controls whether the vehicle can start based on the result of the driver's breath test. DATECH's AF-i1 consists of a handset (the unit that measures breath) and a control box (the central processing unit that receives test results and links them to vehicle start control), and the mouthpiece is a consumable the driver touches directly when blowing into the handset. Even if the device is properly installed in the vehicle, it can be hard to start a test if there is no mouthpiece or its condition and compatibility are unclear.
Especially in transport and logistics vehicles or family vehicles shared by several people, it can easily become unclear who prepares new mouthpieces, how used parts are kept apart, and whom to tell when they run short or are damaged. A realistic approach is for users, as the people who use the contact part, to check its condition and report problems, and for managers to keep a steady supply of parts suited to the device installed in the vehicle. The key is not applying an arbitrary reuse rule to every mouthpiece, but setting the flow of use and resupply within the official conditions of use for that device.
Manage mouthpieces together with the device model
It is hard to conclude that a mouthpiece can be used with a different interlock model just because it looks similar. DATECH's official AF-i1 product information lists 10 mouthpieces as included components, but that fact alone does not tell you about other products' compatibility or their cleaning and reuse conditions. When ordering new parts or stocking them in a vehicle, it is better to record the installed interlock model and the compatibility information you confirmed, rather than just the vehicle number.
If the manager links the device model and part name in the purchase list, it reduces the mistake of repeatedly ordering parts that look similar when vehicles change or supplied items differ. If it is uncertain whether a part fits properly, or the part shows cracks, deformation, or contamination, there needs to be a flow in which the user reports the condition and gets it checked, rather than forcing it on to try a test.
Users report the condition of contact parts and any shortage
The user's role is not to repair mouthpieces or decide on their own whether they can be reused. It is to check, before testing, whether the prepared part is new, whether it fits properly on the handset, and whether there is visible damage or contamination, and to tell the vehicle manager or designated resupply contact if there is a problem. Simply not putting used parts back into the new-parts storage box or packaging bag greatly reduces confusion for the next user.
Let's take a hypothetical case. The driver of a shared delivery vehicle takes a mouthpiece out of the storage box in the vehicle and finds opened parts mixed with parts still in new packaging. The observable fact is that "it is impossible to tell which ones are new," and from this alone you should not guess whether they can be cleaned or used. A possible action is to put the unused parts in a separate place and tell the person in charge about the mixed state and the remaining quantity. The completion criterion is reached when the manager decides on handling methods and replacement parts that match the official guidance and the storage locations for new and used parts are separated, so the next driver can pick a prepared part without hesitation.
Managers set up the flow of storage, distribution, and resupply
Managers can go beyond "putting a few in the vehicle" and decide where new parts are stored, how many to keep in each vehicle, who to notify about shortages, and who will resupply. For example, keep only unopened parts in one place in the office or garage, and keep parts in the vehicle to take out for the day or when needed. If a place for used parts is needed, keep it physically separate from new parts and label it.
When you are told stock is running low, an appropriate order is to first confirm the installed model, the remaining quantity, and the part needed, then prepare an approved compatible part. Letting a user fit a part meant for another model or use an improvised cleaned part because there are none left is not an appropriate alternative unless official guidance allows it. If resupply may be delayed, it is good to also tell the person in charge of vehicle scheduling, so vehicles with mouthpieces ready can be told apart from those without.
| Situation | What the user does | What the manager provides |
|---|---|---|
| Before a test | Checks whether the part is new and free of damage or contamination | Sets where unopened parts suited to the device are kept |
| After use | Does not mix used parts into the new-parts storage | Sets where used parts are kept separately and how they are handled |
| Shortage or problem found | Reports the remaining quantity and any visible problem | Confirms resupply of compatible parts based on the device model |
| Vehicle handover | Tells the next driver where new parts are and whether stock is low | Checks each vehicle's stock and resupplies where needed |
At vehicle handovers, also tell people where the parts are
When drivers change, often only visible information such as the engine's condition gets passed on, but in mouthpiece care, where the new parts are and whether resupply is needed are directly tied to actual use. So at a handover, saying something specific, such as "there are new parts in the storage box" or "stock is low, so I've requested more," lowers the chance that the next driver mistakes a used part for a new one.
This process is not meant to add complicated separate documents. It is needed because if the location of new parts differs by vehicle, or who receives resupply requests differs, problems surface right before a test. For shared vehicles, you can set a fixed location, such as inside the storage box or around the handset holder, and if you change the location, tell the drivers so the way parts are found does not vary even within the same vehicle.
Do not guess where the device guidance is silent
The AF-i1 is described as a device that controls starting based on breath test results and stores data related to interlock use. However, this device's component information does not indicate mouthpiece replacement intervals, whether they can be cleaned, or reuse conditions for every interlock. The most important boundary in mouthpiece care is that users do not change device conditions by guessing in order to get around an inconvenience.
Managers can set compatible parts, storage methods, and replacement or handling conditions based on each device's user manual and supply guidance, and pass that information to drivers briefly and clearly. Users keep new and used parts apart and report problems and shortages promptly. With roles divided this way, the mouthpiece is managed not as a simple consumable but as a supply that supports using the interlock under the same conditions every time.
