Democratic Senator Scott Weiner suggested that adding speed limiter technology would prevent drivers from going more than 10 miles per hour over posted limits
A new bill is being introduced in California that could further irritate drivers.
Democratic Sen. Scott Weiner has proposed adding speed limiter technology that would reduce a car’s acceleration if the driver is traveling more than 10 miles per hour over the posted limit.
If Senate Bill 961 passes, the system would be mandatory for model year 2027 vehicles manufactured or sold in California — eight years before the state bans the sale of gas-powered cars in 2035.
However, the new bill has sparked criticism, with some people claiming Weiner is trying to create “a police state” because of the technology’s tracking capabilities.
However, the new bill has sparked criticism, with some people claiming Weiner is trying to create “a police state” because of the technology’s tracking capabilities.
The device is also connected to the engine, allowing it to restrict the vehicle’s air and fuel flow if the speed limit is exceeded. This in turn stops acceleration beyond the 10 miles per hour limit
The senator shared details of the proposal on X, which generated several negative reactions.
One user replied: ‘Basically taking steps towards a police state…. This is where I missed the point.’
Another user found a solution by noting that he would be purchasing a new vehicle out of state.
Some X members even went so far as to call Weiner a “fascist,” and another called for him to be impeached.
However, Weiner said the bill is the solution to the state’s rise in traffic fatalities.
A recent report from a national transportation research group found that traffic fatalities in the state increased 22 percent from 2019 to 2022, compared to 19 percent for the U.S. overall, according to data in its announcement.
In 2022, 4,400 Californians were killed in car crashes, the report said.
The alarming increase in traffic fatalities is unbearable and requires an urgent response,” Wiener said in a statement.
“There is no reason why anyone would drive more than 100 miles per hour on public roads, yet the California Highway Patrol issued more than 3,000 citations in 2020 for that very violation. Preventing reckless speeding is a common-sense approach to preventing these completely unnecessary and heartbreaking accidents.”
Cruise control devices are devices with sensors that take information from the GPS and cameras and determine how fast the car is going.
The device is also connected to the engine, allowing it to restrict the vehicle’s air and fuel flow if the speed limit is exceeded.
This in turn stops acceleration beyond the 10 miles per hour limit.
Some X members even went so far as to call Weiner a “fascist,” while another called for him to be impeached.
Non-emergency vehicles may be exempt from the rule if the commissioner of the California Highway Patrol authorizes the technology to be disabled based on specified criteria.
The bill also states that drivers can temporarily ignore the technology.
“This speed-limiting technology already exists,” Wiener shared on X.
“The European Union is moving in this direction and the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that the requirement be adopted at national level.”
EU blueprint to stop motorists includes aircraft-style ‘black box’ recording speed, driving and location data
X-user Jeane said: ‘This is the US… not the EU.’
However, the EU’s blueprint to stop motorists includes an aircraft-style ‘black box’, which records speed, driving and location data.
The information can also be used to prosecute a speeding driver after an accident.
Weiner’s bill follows a shocking move by the state to reduce the number of gas guzzlers on the road.
Automakers are now required to reduce the number of gasoline-powered vehicles they sell to meet the plan’s first quota, which calls for 35 percent of new cars, SUVs and small pickups sold in California by 2026 to must be zero-emission vehicles.
The quota will be increased every two years, by 51 percent in 2028, 68 percent in 2030. Five years later, 100 percent of all new vehicles sold should be battery powered – 20 percent of which could be hybrid plug-ins.