Colorado has Upgraded to the Intoxilyzer 9000 for Evidential Breath Testing in DUI and DWAI Cases.

The state of Colorado has recently upgraded its evidential breath testing program from the Intoxilyzer 5000EN to the Intoxilyzer 9000.  If you are arrested for suspicion of DUI in Colorado and choose a breath test, you will be taking that test on the Intoxilyzer 9000.

The Intoxilyzer 9000 (I-9000) replaces the old Intoxilyzer 5000EN which has been in service in the Colorado for many years.  Both the Intoxilyzer 9000 and the 5000EN are manufactured by CMI and both machines utilize an infrared spectroscopic technique to identify and quantify alcohol in the breath and are based on the same fundamental scientific principles of operation.

Where the machines differ is in size, function and portability.  The I-9000 is much smaller than its predecessor, weighing only 10 pounds.  It is designed for portability and can operate off of 110V AC or 12V DC power.  It is also equipped to use a dry gas calibration simulator or a wet bath calibration simulator.  The I-9000 is capable storing all the test information and downloading it to a centralized server and the entire test, control and calibration data can be reprinted directly from the machine.  The I-9000 also graphically displays the subject’s breath flow curve and pressure and BrAC curves throughout the breath test.  This allows the operator to visually see if the subject is providing a proper breath sample.

The I-9000 also claims to be more accurate than the 5000EN and to have resolved many of the problems associated with the 5000EN.  However the manufacture, CMI, has refused to release the source code software for the I-9000 and there has been no opportunity for an independent expert to thoroughly test and scrutinize the machine.