New Law Could Install "Kill Switches" in All New Vehicles

[Scott5114]

or using cameras to monitor the driver (yikes).  I suspect we'll end up with the last one;

Gee, what a shame, fancy tech which can be disabled by a single piece of electrical tape.

"What if, when they tried to do a breathalyzer test on me, I just said 'no thank you'?"

In an implied consent state, they'd just haul you in to the station to do the sobriety test there.

Exactly...they would just pass a law saying you agree to be videotaped while driving a car. Driving is a privilege, not a right, if you've done nothing wrong you've got nothing to hide, blah blah blah.

[wxfree]

About 10 years ago there was a legislative proposal in Texas to use electromagnetic pulse devices to disable vehicles.  The device would disable but not damage an electronic system, while presumably not disabling pursuit vehicles.  I wonder whether something like that is possible without Star Trek technology.  The bill never made it to the floor and was introduced in two sessions.

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/82R/billtext/html/HB01328H.htm

[formulanone]

I'm less worried about the government abusing it than a company. If they're installing kill switches anyway, they may as well charge you $59.99/month to drive the car. Don't pay, it's all right! You get to keep the rest of the car, it's just the engine that won't work!

And I could imagine a company car turning off the kill switch if you call into work. Go to CVS for cold medicine on your own dime, associate!

It's interesting that a similar topic has made the news at Home Depot.  They will be requesting that manufacturers install "kill switches" in power tools and other machines that can be disabled once the item has been paid for.  The hope is that the theft rate will go down if the tool doesn't work.  Not sure that will make any difference at first, since almost all of the thieves are simply fencing the stolen stuff to someone who can't resist paying way less than the market price.

Just call the toll free number if the item does not work, bet you all can't wait for that option. And if you're on hold...

"All of our associates are busy with other tools, please stand by."

[Scott5114]

"All of our associates are busy with other tools, please stand by."

Every company has to deal with customers who are tools, but apparently only Home Depot has the guts to say it out loud.

[Duke87]

or using cameras to monitor the driver (yikes).  I suspect we'll end up with the last one;

Gee, what a shame, fancy tech which can be disabled by a single piece of electrical tape.

SAFETY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
UNABLE TO START

Given my experience with other nannytech in cars I doubt that's what would happen. Most likely you'll get a popup alert every time you start the car that says "Passive impairment monitoring system disabled" or something that you just learn to ignore and carry on your way. This is how cars respond to sensors that are used for forward collision avoidance and whatnot being blocked.

[kalvado]

or using cameras to monitor the driver (yikes).  I suspect we'll end up with the last one;

Gee, what a shame, fancy tech which can be disabled by a single piece of electrical tape.

SAFETY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
UNABLE TO START

Given my experience with other nannytech in cars I doubt that's what would happen. Most likely you'll get a popup alert every time you start the car that says "Passive impairment monitoring system disabled" or something that you just learn to ignore and carry on your way. This is how cars respond to sensors that are used for forward collision avoidance and whatnot being blocked.

Those are options, and this is mandatory. So something like non-stop warning like seatbelt is more likely.

[GenExpwy]

or using cameras to monitor the driver (yikes).  I suspect we'll end up with the last one;

Gee, what a shame, fancy tech which can be disabled by a single piece of electrical tape.

SAFETY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
UNABLE TO START

Given my experience with other nannytech in cars I doubt that's what would happen. Most likely you'll get a popup alert every time you start the car that says "Passive impairment monitoring system disabled" or something that you just learn to ignore and carry on your way. This is how cars respond to sensors that are used for forward collision avoidance and whatnot being blocked.

Those are options, and this is mandatory. So something like non-stop warning like seatbelt is more likely.

Back about 1974, the Feds mandated seat belt interlocks. If the driver or front passenger were not buckled up, the car would only start if someone popped the hood and pressed the red button mounted on the firewall.

[vdeane]

or using cameras to monitor the driver (yikes).  I suspect we'll end up with the last one;

Gee, what a shame, fancy tech which can be disabled by a single piece of electrical tape.

SAFETY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
UNABLE TO START

Given my experience with other nannytech in cars I doubt that's what would happen. Most likely you'll get a popup alert every time you start the car that says "Passive impairment monitoring system disabled" or something that you just learn to ignore and carry on your way. This is how cars respond to sensors that are used for forward collision avoidance and whatnot being blocked.

Ah popup alerts... those are so annoying.  One of the reasons I don't have snow tires is because I didn't want to pay for a whole new set of TPMS sensors or have to dismiss the popup alert every time I drive for 5 months of the year.

[snowc]

@Scott5114
I was curious if this thread is considered political, and the rulebook says no political content? 

[Scott5114]

@Scott5114
I was curious if this thread is considered political, and the rulebook says no political content? 

The correct answer is: it's more complicated than that. The problem is that roads and driving are governed by laws and the decisions of politicians (e.g. the infrastructure bill), and we want to allow as much discussion about transportation-related topics as we can. At the same time, we want to limit acrimonious debate.

As a result, the more road-related a topic is, the more tolerance we have for on-topic political content, leading to a continuum of sorts of what is allowed.  So discussing the political process surrounding something like the infrastructure bill that is going to result in big medium-term changes to the transportation system is allowed, although we will still remove argumentative posts. For a thread like this that is still related to vehicles despite being technically off-topic, we will allow it so long as the discussion doesn't turn acrimonious. If something isn't transportation-related at all and it turns political, especially if it's a hot-button topic like you would expect to see on Tucker Carlson or Rachel Maddow, it gets shut down quickly.

Here is some good advice from J.N. Winkler:

The way to have a successful discussion about politics (broadly defined) is to confine it to policy and avoid referring to the people or parties that might carry it out--certainly not in an emotionally arousing or morally charged fashion.

[kalvado]

@Scott5114
I was curious if this thread is considered political, and the rulebook says no political content? 

Not being an admin - not on this forum at least...
Some events are political, and directly relate to the subject of specialized forum. Law that directly affects the topic of intrinsic interest, appointee in charge of specific field, etc. Then you cannot avoid some politics. The way to go is to discuss substance of the subject, not personalities behind, and no cats vs dogs.

[snowc]

@Scott5114
I was curious if this thread is considered political, and the rulebook says no political content? 

The correct answer is: it's more complicated than that. The problem is that roads and driving are governed by laws and the decisions of politicians (e.g. the infrastructure bill), and we want to allow as much discussion about transportation-related topics as we can. At the same time, we want to limit acrimonious debate.

As a result, the more road-related a topic is, the more tolerance we have for on-topic political content, leading to a continuum of sorts of what is allowed.  So discussing the political process surrounding something like the infrastructure bill that is going to result in big medium-term changes to the transportation system is allowed, although we will still remove argumentative posts. For a thread like this that is still related to vehicles despite being technically off-topic, we will allow it so long as the discussion doesn't turn acrimonious. If something isn't transportation-related at all and it turns political, especially if it's a hot-button topic like you would expect to see on Tucker Carlson or Rachel Maddow, it gets shut down quickly.

Here is some good advice from J.N. Winkler:

The way to have a successful discussion about politics (broadly defined) is to confine it to policy and avoid referring to the people or parties that might carry it out--certainly not in an emotionally arousing or morally charged fashion.

OK, Thanks for the new information! 

[hbelkins]

@Scott5114
I was curious if this thread is considered political, and the rulebook says no political content? 

Not being an admin - not on this forum at least...
Some events are political, and directly relate to the subject of specialized forum. Law that directly affects the topic of intrinsic interest, appointee in charge of specific field, etc. Then you cannot avoid some politics. The way to go is to discuss substance of the subject, not personalities behind, and no cats vs dogs.

That subject is currently being discussed in another thread. 

[kalvado]

@Scott5114
I was curious if this thread is considered political, and the rulebook says no political content? 

Not being an admin - not on this forum at least...
Some events are political, and directly relate to the subject of specialized forum. Law that directly affects the topic of intrinsic interest, appointee in charge of specific field, etc. Then you cannot avoid some politics. The way to go is to discuss substance of the subject, not personalities behind, and no cats vs dogs.

That subject is currently being discussed in another thread. 

I guess I was the root cause....

[kkt]

or using cameras to monitor the driver (yikes).  I suspect we'll end up with the last one;

Gee, what a shame, fancy tech which can be disabled by a single piece of electrical tape.

Where are Click and Clack when we need them?

[Big John]

Bumping this as MADD is applauding the feds for taking the first step in doing this: https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1219076996/drunk-driving-nhtsa-new-cars