California Bill Would Require New Cars To Have This Annoying Feature
54
Sponsored Links
The California state Senate has passed bill SB-961, a new piece of legislation that mandates 50 percent of new cars manufactured or sold in California to include a passive speed limiter by 2029, with full compliance required by 2032. Spearheaded by Senator Scott Wiener, the bill aims to enhance road safety by ensuring drivers adhere to posted speed limits. If the bill becomes law, it’s likely to affect vehicles sold throughout the U.S.
The California Senate approved bill SB-961 with a 22-13 vote. According to the legislation, the proposed passive speed limiter system would integrate with the vehicle’s GPS and a database of speed limits. If a driver exceeds the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour, the system will issue a one-time visual and audio alert. In cases where conflicting speed limits are present, the system would default to the higher limit.
The bill stipulates that all passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses must be equipped with these speed limiters by 2032, though emergency vehicles are exempt. Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have previously advocated for similar technology at the federal level.
Supporters of the bill point to similar legislation in the European Union, set to take effect in July 2024, aimed at reducing traffic fatalities.
As the bill moves to the California state Assembly for a vote by late August, its passage could set a precedent as the first of its kind in the United States. If signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, it is expected to have far-reaching impacts on car sales nationwide. Given California’s significant influence on the automotive market as the largest auto market in the country, other states are likely to follow suit. California’s history of stringent emissions standards and the push to ban gasoline-powered passenger cars by 2035 have already prompted major automakers to adapt their strategies.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more GM-related political news, GM safety news, GM business news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Sponsored Links
Put your raincoat on before you go out in the rain I do. Though, I wouldn’t need it in California as I am not worth 8 figures. For me it’s Thai hookers or bust!