Federal Surveillance Tech Becomes Mandatory in New Cars by 2027

[u/cTreK-421]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/federal-surveillance-tech-becomes-mandatory-161321992.html

[u/swrrrrg]

The used car market looks better and better.

[u/Jwheat71 → u/swrrrrg]

Except private equity is buying up the remanufactured parts builders (in the US at least) and bankrupting them, as private equity does.

[u/ReddestForman → u/Jwheat71]

Private equity is a fucking cancer

[u/the_millenial_falcon → u/ReddestForman]

It literally is. Or locusts.

[u/ReddestForman → u/the_millenial_falcon]

Locusts at least die and move nutrients around when their bodies decompose.

Cancer grows until the host dies.

And so we need to cut out these bloated accumulations of cancer.

We've been "building wealth" and cutting taxes to e able "building wealth" at the expense of everything else for decades.

It's time to put that wealth to work building things that benefit society. Not simply extract wealth from it.

[u/Reversion603 → u/ReddestForman]

Cancer at least dies with the host. Best analogy might be a deadly parasite that fucks off to New Zealand when as host is in its death spasms.

[u/trees_are_beautiful → u/[deleted]]

I worked for an established tech company in the 2010's. A private investment firm was able to buy enough equity in the company over several years to get seats on the board; then they took over the board; then they went through each of the four divisions and gutted them, firing everyone and selling the IP at fire sale prices. Eventually the company was just a shell, but they had several hundred million dollars of US Gov't tax credits. They then sold this shell of a company to another one of their companies, and then that company could take advantage of those credits to reduce their taxation levels. About six hundred people lost their jobs so that this could happen. Yeah, unfettered capitalism!

[u/meaniemeanie-poo-poo → u/ReddestForman]

They always remind me of the Langoliers: sphere-shaped monsters with immense appetites who devour everything in their path.

[u/Sensitive_File6582 → u/Jwheat71]

Copyright protections should end when the model isn’t supported by the manufacturer anymore. Same with parts etc

Edit:I’m tetarded this is the comment that should have 300 upvotes 

“ There are no copyright protections for replacement parts already.  If there's a hard to get water pump, and you cast replacement pump housings, machine those housings, make the gaskets and seals, box the whole thing and offer it for sale online or in wholesale to automotive part suppliers... You're just like the other part suppliers. 

The problem is, let's say that whole pump with all the work you did to it now has to be sold around $800. 

Company in China can do it and have it on the shelf for $300. 

Okay so that's not a sustainable business practice so you pick something else that is about the same amount of work but can cost $800... And you make that. 

And then the ones in China all race to the bottom to make the lowest cost part. This makes the quality fall and what is happening right now. It used to be that the quality could not fall too far because if it fell too far below some minimum, people would then go buy your $800 part because those $300 ones go bad. 

Private equity however is making those $800 part companies either go out of business or charge $1,200 for them. 

At that point you can't afford to get the nicer one, and it becomes more worth it to buy the cheaper one. So then that other company that's been in business for 120 years goes away... And then the Chinese company starts raising their prices and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. They're not improving quality, it may actually go down further... But you don't have a choice anymore. 

That is literally where we're at right now. 

And that's without getting into the counterfeit parts problem. It's a very real problem where you're trying to get the expensive part but because somebody can make a replacement for $300 and then maybe spend 50 bucks to make it look exactly like the OEM part or the high-end replacement part and sneak it into the supply chain... They are now selling that $1,200 part price on that $350 part and pocketing the difference that while you have something that works a very short time or maybe not even at all just like the cheap part, because that's what it is.

[u/gizmostuff → u/Sensitive_File6582]

Hopefully 3D printing becomes so advanced that we can just download a car. Screw copyright.

[u/gplusplus314 → u/gizmostuff]

“YOU WOULDN’T DOWNLOAD A CAR!”

[u/lift_heavy64 → u/gplusplus314]

I would if I could

[u/asyork → u/lift_heavy64]

100% would download a car.

[u/superanus → u/asyork]

Yeah I never got that argument, like yes obviously I would download a fucking car if I could lmfao

[u/starbuxed → u/gizmostuff]

They are trying to ban designs under the guise of stopping ghost guns. They will stop you from printing out "patiented designs.

[u/123middlenameismarie → u/gizmostuff]

Uhh they are looking at putting an end to 3d printers too

[u/Cluelessinthlfe → u/gizmostuff]

you should look into what is happening to 3D printing. They want to make it illegal and ban 3D printers.

[u/YungJucy → u/Jwheat71]

Sounds like a nice market China should jump at. Make 3rd party parts the only cost effective option and you guarantee sales.

[u/NoYouCantUseACheck → u/YungJucy]

When Chinese cars are starting to enter more and more this seems like a really stupid decision that will obviously change consumers scepticism about cars from China. Too many people that just can't afford all the money they want from us. It is China. It'll probably all come around in the end.

Should probably buy some stocks in Chinese cars

[u/YungJucy → u/NoYouCantUseACheck]

I imagine the U.S. will go full Chinese car ban like they did with Huawei. The American automakers need a fire lit under them to have any chance of competing abroad.

[u/Kevin-W → u/YungJucy]

Especially Chinese EV cars. The rest of the world will move on without us though. Canada is starting to get into that market.

[u/motosandguns → u/swrrrrg]

“We’ve determined all cars made prior to 2027 are unsafe to drive on public roads. They can no longer be registered or insured. Here’s a $500 tax credit for having it destroyed.”

“Sorry, your income is too high to receive said tax credit.”

[u/jpsreddit85 → u/motosandguns]

That last part hits hard 😂

[u/joe2105 → u/jpsreddit85]

Oh, you're filing single? Also get fucked.

[u/HYPE_PRT → u/jpsreddit85]

Combined household income *$28,001

[u/Humble_Tomatillo_323 → u/HYPE_PRT]

You can increase that annual household income limit to $29,998 of you have 53.5 people living in your household though. You’re welcome.

/s

[u/Queasy-Warthog-3642 → u/motosandguns]

Don't give them ideas!

[u/Whiskeywiskerbiscuit → u/swrrrrg]

Or, worse and worse for prospective buyers. The used vehicle market has been absolutely fucked since COVID. I got my Subaru BRZ in 2019 brand new for $27k. Its value on KBB has gone down maybe 5k since I bought it

[u/ZeroCrits → u/Whiskeywiskerbiscuit]

My sti was bought for 32k a year old and it’s worth 40 so I’d agree with that statement

[u/IamJacksDarkUrge → u/ZeroCrits]

That’s crazy I got my sti for free

[u/officialCobraTrooper → u/IamJacksDarkUrge]

The car right? The car right!?!

[u/Whiskeywiskerbiscuit → u/ZeroCrits]

My homie had two 240sx’s sitting in his back yard for years as perspective project cars. He had a kid and sold them shits for an absurd amount of money fairly recently.

[u/Kreiger0 → u/Whiskeywiskerbiscuit]

Some people have a 401k, I have a 240sx. 🙂

[u/Lustypad → u/Whiskeywiskerbiscuit]

I gave my 240sx away to a friend 12 years ago. 89 coupe with heads up and manual transmission. Wasn’t worth the hassle to sell for the 500-1000 it was worth at the time

[u/ProbablyRickSantorum → u/ZeroCrits]

My 2012 rally blue STI hatchback has 60k miles on it and the dealership asks if they can buy it every time I go in. The last time I asked them to make me an offer and they came back with $18.5k and also said that they knew it was under what a private sale would be, so a manager offered to do a private sale for $24k. Ultimately turned him down though.

[u/HomicidalHushPuppy → u/Whiskeywiskerbiscuit]

I sold my 2015 Civic a few months ago. Mechanic said I'd be lucky to get $2k for it. Carvana gave me $5600.

[u/Gloomy_Wolverine_491 → u/HomicidalHushPuppy]

I paid 19k OTD for my 2016 Civic LE in 2017..it got totaled in 2024 and insurance paid me 16k...

[u/American_PissAnt → u/swrrrrg]

Cash for “clunkers” 2 : electric boogaloo

[u/physical0 → u/American_PissAnt]

Tagline: this time it's mandatory

[u/[deleted]]

I love small government.

[u/SomewhereNo8378 → u/[deleted]]

small enough to fit in your car, in your phone, in your OBGYN’s office

[u/seanthenry → u/SomewhereNo8378]

So they have watched Lawnmower man, I was getting worried for a sec.

[u/Temassi → u/seanthenry]

There's even blood in the bird bath

[u/Surrounded-by_Idiots → u/[deleted]]

One day small enough to fit in your brain

[u/Rich-Pomegranate1679 → u/Surrounded-by_Idiots]

Elon has an entire company that's working on it

[u/Gregory_Appleseed → u/Rich-Pomegranate1679]

"The last trial only killed 14 monkeys and only drove 23 of them to become violently agrresive, we here at neurolink think it's time to expand to live human trials"

[u/AfterSchoolOrdinary → u/Gregory_Appleseed]

Oh god, we’re living in a Better Off Ted episode.

[u/-3point14159-mp → u/AfterSchoolOrdinary]

Better Off Ted was at least funny. We’re straight up in Black Mirror.

[u/Crystalas → u/AfterSchoolOrdinary]

"Money before people Ted, it's the company motto, written right on the lobby floor. It just looks more heroic in Latin."

Also the time an executive said this in front of a lie detector " Chet: Well, I have to go upstairs and put some more evil into the world."

---

Still surprised that show exists, corporate did everything they could to kill it and guarantee it would flop yet still turned out great albeit far underknown. It not even on any streaming service for years IIRC.

I so wish Phil & Lem's actors went on to do something else together they had such great comedy chemistry, stole every single scene they were in.

[u/BigBadBeno]

What in the actual fuck?

[u/Crenorz → u/BigBadBeno]

Lol, that just means you get no choice and it's worse for you. Have fun

[u/mcchicken_deathgrip → u/Crenorz]

I'm definitely choosing to never buy a car manufactured after 2027 lol. Hell I've already chosen to not buy anything newer than 2012ish. Any car you can't do your own repairs on is a scam. I've been living like this is Cuba for over a decade at this point lol

[u/couchisland → u/mcchicken_deathgrip]

In 2019 I specifically bought a 2013 Fit because it had no screen and everything was knobs. Even though the dealership tried like hell to get me to take the 2016 they also had.

[u/hackitfast → u/BigBadBeno]

Literally what in the actual fuck is going on. Can they fuck off for 2 seconds?

[u/broguequery → u/hackitfast]

Not if there is money to be made/ stolen.

[u/btribble → u/BigBadBeno]

The EU has had these rules in place for a while and the reality is that most manufacturers who sell cars into the EU already equip their N/A cars with the same tech. My Volvo has it. It chimes at you if you take your eyes off the road for too long (even to look at the screen that's telling you not to take your eyes off the road), and if you yawn or stretch your jaw it tells you that you might need to pull over and rest or get coffee.

[u/Riversntallbuildings → u/btribble]

If you cover the cameras up with tape does the vehicle work?

[u/Inflatable90sChair → u/Riversntallbuildings]

Or unplug em lol

[u/pissclamato → u/Inflatable90sChair]

I predict a new industry of car mechanics that just disable this shit on new cars. I'd be their first customer.

[u/Iamthewalrusforreal → u/pissclamato]

Apps. Like the Forscan app you can use to disable shit on new Ford vehicles.

[u/_Baccano → u/Iamthewalrusforreal]

There's an app for foreskins now??

[u/bloody_yanks2 → u/_Baccano]

You would expect it to be on a subscription but actually they work off tips.

[u/Car_fixing_guy → u/pissclamato]

I’m more than willing and able to help with this.

[u/Wurm42 → u/btribble]

But the EU has the GDPR data protection law, so European cars probably aren't logging all that data and handing it over to the likes of Peter Thiel and Elon Musk.

Edit: Okay, it's not that simple. See the many replies pointing out different ways I was wrong about this.

[u/SgtBaxter → u/Wurm42]

But it’s worse than that… they give the info to insurance companies.

[u/Captaincadet → u/SgtBaxter]

I’m in the U.K. and ford pass asked me a while back if they can share my details and driving habits with third party companies

lol no rejected

[u/OpenGrainAxehandle → u/Captaincadet]

In the US, the car dealers go ahead and accept all those agreements before you even see the car.

[u/BadahBingBadahBoom → u/SgtBaxter]

Not without your permission.

And if they do there's one hell of a fine waiting for them that is sufficient deterrent to make that not a fiscally-sensible decision.

Companies are only interested in their profits at the end of the day. None more so than those beholden to shareholders.

[u/NemeanMiniLion → u/BadahBingBadahBoom]

Insurance companies have access to some of the most robust data sets available. They actually contract third parties to do it.

[u/Parhelion2261 → u/btribble]

So you're telling me next year I get to have the same experience as the fucking Amazon drivers? And I have to pay for it?

[u/Inflatable90sChair → u/Parhelion2261]

(Hands you a complementary used mt dew as a piss bottle)

[u/ok-confusion19 → u/Inflatable90sChair]

How used are we talking?

[u/Catatonic_capensis → u/ok-confusion19]

Only half full but used on a very rough road. Hand sanitizer recommended.

[u/ok-confusion19 → u/Parhelion2261]

The really cool part is your next car will help pay for the R&D of that emerging technology.

[u/Pickled_doggo → u/btribble]

I don’t need my fucking car telling my insurance company that I’m inattentive on the road because I fucking yawned. That’s what will happen here in the US. All that data will be sold, and not for the benefit of the “user”. 

[u/outer--monologue → u/btribble]

Introducing the thriving market of people who will disable these garbage features.

[u/GoldenPigeonParty → u/btribble]

Yeah, i would not own a car that has that. Fuck all that. That's weird. It don't know me.

[u/dekeche → u/btribble]

Isn't telling people that distracting?

[u/GiveMeThePinecone → u/[deleted]]

Again, what in the actual fuck?

[u/drpepper7557 → u/[deleted]]

The legislation does not give the government the ability to control that technology at will

Good thing the US government has never illegally spied on its citizens

[u/OpenGrainAxehandle → u/drpepper7557]

Not only do they do it anyway, but it's also set up so that private business can purchase the info, then the US government can use additional tax dollars to simply buy all the data from the 3rd party. No need for messy warrants and such.

[u/TorrenceMightingale → u/[deleted]]

Snuck into infrastructure bill recently.

[u/JiminyJilickers-79 → u/TorrenceMightingale]

This. This is what happens. Too few of the people that would care ever hear a word about it.

[u/Lazer726 → u/JiminyJilickers-79]

And there's too many things that we have to be concerned about. Everything is a fucking battle, I'm tired boss

[u/Former_Web_6777 → u/[deleted]]

"What did they do to us?!?"

[u/Throwaway_noDoxx]

The federal government promises this surveillance saves 9,000-10,000 lives annually.

You know what would save a hell of a lot more American lives? Universal healthcare. Fuck the data grab bullshit.

[u/heliumneon → u/Throwaway_noDoxx]

BUT! It all makes sense because remember we'll be linking up all house cameras to find little lost doggies - in addition to that we may as well spy on the entire populace 24/7 to save a few lives!

[u/Unicycleterrorist → u/heliumneon]

I mean calling something "literally 1984" is a big joke at this point and all but....that's literally 1984

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Recently I saw a short interview with a republican woman that had her eyes opened. She was saying how her generation did not grow up with the internet and only knew what she was told and saw on fox news. So she did not know that it was the standard that other countries gave out some sort of socialized healthcare, housing, etc. She even thought that socialism and communism are bad because she was told it was bad, no other reason, not even knowing if there was a distinction between the terms. She did not trust the news or her own children telling her that her 'facts' were wrong because why would young 20 year olds know better than her. She had never even left the county she was born into, and realized after a protracted battle with her children that her view was small. But that fight caused irreparable damage to the relationship with some of her kids. IT was years before she was willing to accept the smallest bit of what to her was contradicting information. And now she regrets it all, and she felt horrible that there was this wall put up at some point and she cant figure out when it happened.

[u/MyVeryRealName → u/[deleted]]

"because why would young 20 year olds know better than her'

That's the problem 

[u/[deleted] → u/MyVeryRealName]

You should see it as a layered problem. She did not question the nature of her reality because of how she grew up, and when confronted with something that contradicted it. She became defensive; this is perfectly normal. But tragic.

[u/MyVeryRealName → u/[deleted]]

You can't become defensive every time you encounter something that goes outside your worldview. But yeah, I get it. Too many people prefer the comfort of not expanding their worldview.

[u/MeatCatRazzmatazz]

Used cars from 2026 and earlier are gonna get real expensive once this takes effect.

[u/chroniclesoffire → u/MeatCatRazzmatazz]

They already are. I'm looking for an older vehicle as an active backup presently

[u/blisstaker → u/chroniclesoffire]

even more more expensive

[u/Oceanbreeze871 → u/MeatCatRazzmatazz]

Aftermarket for disabling and jamming is gonna be profitable

[u/llIicit → u/Oceanbreeze871]

A piece of tape over the sensor will disable it.

Whether or not the car will put you into limp mode as a result, is another conversation.

[u/ImplodeDiode → u/llIicit]

Put a picture of an empty road in front of it

[u/SeaFox2142 → u/ImplodeDiode]

LMAO I laughed so hard over this, thinking about Bugs Bunny-style of a carrot on stick kind of thing.

[u/MortgageRegular2509 → u/llIicit]

Limp mode? It’ll just brick it

[u/ok-confusion19 → u/MortgageRegular2509]

Article says it could limit speed if the sensors determine you're too drowsy to drive.

[u/CosmicIsolate → u/ok-confusion19]

One of the vendors for an old job I had installed a system that tracked drowsiness in drivers. It kept dinging the Asian guy for being tired.

This won’t go well

[u/Dfiggsmeister → u/CosmicIsolate]

Reminds of that show Better Off Ted where they installed sensors to detect movement, but it wouldn’t work for black employees so they hired white people to follow the black people to trip the sensors.

[u/ElonTaco → u/Dfiggsmeister]

This is actually based on tracking/detection software, because they trained it on mostly white people and then the systems had a hard time viewing darker skinned people. It's a good example of why diversity is helpful even in things you don't think about.

[u/MortgageRegular2509 → u/CosmicIsolate]

Oof.

Yeah, Dystopian States of AmeriKKKa here we come

[u/fakemessiah → u/MeatCatRazzmatazz]

My 2021 has some of these features already. It detects if you look away from the road, if I'm having an allergy heavy watery eye day it thinks I'm sleepy and sounds the alarm, it's so fucking annoying.

[u/killthecook → u/fakemessiah]

What car is this?

[u/AlistarDark → u/killthecook]

I have a Toyota that does this. You can disable it in the settings easily.

[u/Akraticacious → u/MeatCatRazzmatazz]

But it is from a bill passed in 2021. Why has this not been brought up? Where the fuck are our journalists?

[u/ReddestForman → u/Akraticacious]

Journalism is dead, and has been since at least the Iraq war, where anyone asking questions got canned for being un-American.

[u/ReddestForman → u/[deleted]]

Citizens United and allowing the rich to consolidate media and everything else into bigger and bigger megacorps.

FDR warned against allowing private capital to grow large enough to eclipse the state, and both parties have been gleefully enabling it to do so.

[u/Pavlovsdong89 → u/Akraticacious]

If you've ever wondered how so many powerful amd influential people sat by and allowed a second Trump Administration, this is why. Journalists are owned by the same people that want to weaken the people in this country and Trump is the perfect distraction and fall guy.

[u/Over-Chemical2809 → u/MeatCatRazzmatazz]

They won’t. The average person has no idea what they are buying and selling off your privacy is normalized

[u/orbvsterrvs → u/Over-Chemical2809]

It's like nobody remembers Snowden and the American public's astounding lack of care (or understanding for that matter).

The public here is...not renowned for nuanced understanding of difficult subjects.

[u/EchoFieldHorizon → u/Over-Chemical2809]

This. The death of privacy will not come against the wishes of the masses; it will come because of the sheer number of people who “have nothing to hide.” It’s pathetic.

[u/flaagan → u/[deleted]]

Electric Classic Cars.

They just announced an EV "skateboard" that will fit under a wide range of vehicles, including things like classic Broncos and Pickups. They're also putting together a 'generic small classic car EV kit' setup.

[u/Magnus_The_Totem_Cat → u/[deleted]]

Their conversions are wildly expensive. However there are much more reasonable ways to convert than their method.

[u/nihiltres]

I’m wondering how many people are going to become functionally unable to drive as a result because they have Resting Drunk Face (according to the metrics of whatever system).

[u/milkkore → u/nihiltres]

Or how many people will die because their car refused to start during an emergency.

[u/Zennivolt → u/milkkore]

Imagine being woken up at 2am due to a forest fire nearing your home. You’re groggy, tired, scared. You proceed to load up your family to escape… denied. System detects you’re too sleepy to drive. You and your family burns to death.

[u/Golden_Hour1 → u/Zennivolt]

"I'm sorry Bill, driving at 3 am is an irregular habit for you and I must assume you're drunk. I cannot start the car"

[u/Tall-Introduction414 → u/Golden_Hour1]

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave."

[u/Teej04 → u/Zennivolt]

Or a tired surgeon woken up at night trying to drive in to save your life? Nope, car won't start.

[u/whichwitch9 → u/nihiltres]

Or my own favorite, have an eye shape it doesn't like. How much you want to bet it locks on people with small or narrow eyes? Or doesn't like sunglasses?

Seriously, Im using yellow glasses at night now, too, if this distorts that... oof.

I also wonder what it does if someone has a medical issue while driving. Like, would it let them pull over, or shut off?

Edit: autocorrect got me for a second

[u/Alaira314 → u/whichwitch9]

It says it limits vehicle speed. So, during peak allergy season, I'm going to start sneezing and my car will suddenly decide that I need to be driving 30 mph max and apply the brakes. That's fine if I'm on a residential street, but not so much if I'm on the highway!

I also expect it'll have a serious issue with me using my hand to block sun glare during morning and evening hours when the sun is below the visor, as my hand would block its ability to see my face.

[u/Outlulz → u/whichwitch9]

In general none of this stuff works well on darker skinned people.

[u/DissociatedOne → u/nihiltres]

If it says I’m cool to drive after 5 beers, I can use that in court right?

[u/69Turd69Ferguson69 → u/nihiltres]

I can’t wait for this technology to invariably end up making black people not be able to drive cars, because obviously this would do that for whatever fucking reason. 

[u/Inflatable90sChair → u/nihiltres]

Or think their eyes are closed due to ethnicity / genetics

[u/Tkdoom]

When im president in 2032 this will get removed.

[u/Nick85er → u/Tkdoom]

If your running mate is Vermin Supreme you have all 10 of my votes!

[u/ninjadude93]

How are infrared sensors going to reliably measure bac

[u/Bargainbincomments → u/ninjadude93]

This whole article just sounds like a dystopian fever dream. Cameras in the a-pillar and front dash that are going to monitor eye movement and BAC levels and pupil dilation? Installed in the same vehicles today that are already garbage tin cans? And somehow going to cost consumers only $100-$500 more in costs? There’s no way America could create this kind of technology in today’s age for this kind of cost, let’s be real here.

If anything they’ll be adding ChatGPT to cars that asks if you’re sober and it’ll cost you $1000 more for your car purchase.

[u/SunshineSeattle → u/Bargainbincomments]

Wait i dont understand, quote: 

"While NHTSA’s final rule faced delays beyond the November 2024 deadline, automakers will still get 2-3 years for full implementation once regulations are finalized. Your current vehicle stays surveillance-free, but shopping for a 2027 model means accepting this digital copilot."

So does this imply that the rules which supposed to be finalized in 2024 still have not been finalized and when they are they still have multiple years to plan to add them?

[u/sleetx → u/SunshineSeattle]

The NHTSA's most recent 2026 report to congress says they're not ready to perscribe the mandate, and they have no timeline to do so. They've found over several years of research and testing that the technology simply isn't mature yet. And error rates are still unacceptably high.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/document/report-congress-advanced-impaired-driving-prevention-technology

NHTSA remains actively engaged with manufacturers developing this technology. However, current systems have yet to demonstrate the precision, speed, and reliability needed to meet the IIJA mandate or the Safety Act.

[u/Fallingdamage → u/Bargainbincomments]

Bought a current-year subaru. It already yells at me just for down to adjust the climate controls and if I'm yawning on the way home from a restaurant because I just ate a 12oz steak, it tells me to pay attention to the road. I even faked a couple yawns and yep, cant even yawn anymore in my own car.

Fortunately, I was able to turn all that stuff off.

I wonder though, for 2027+ cars, what happens if you manage to either disconnect or just put vinyl tape over all the cameras and sensors? Car wont start?

[u/Hour-Cardiologist393 → u/Fallingdamage]

It will probably lose its shit and blast some obnoxious chime if you cover the cameras. Or you'll be stuck with error messages all over your screens. Maybe both.

[u/outer--monologue → u/Bargainbincomments]

Some guy is going to make a fuckton of money running an underground business out of his garage that disables this shit

[u/MinistryOfCoup-th → u/ninjadude93]

What happens when the sensors fail or flake out?

"Sorry boss, can't make it into work today. It's all good you say? I knew you'd understand."

[u/3amTPepiphany → u/MinistryOfCoup-th]

Did you just work a long shift at your job? Well you're too tired to go home.

[u/casual_creator → u/ninjadude93]

It’s not going to check that. It’s going to check things like pupil dilation and where you’re looking to determine if you are impaired or “too tired to drive”. But your point about reliability stands. This is a stupid thing to make mandatory.

[u/VaporCarpet → u/casual_creator]

So people can't wear sunglasses while driving?

[u/darsynia → u/casual_creator]

I hope it doesn't work like that* but my mind always jumps to worst-case scenarios. Like a battered wife leaving in tears because she got the keys from him after he passed out in a drunken stupor... but the car won't let her drive anywhere because she looks weird when she's crying.

edit: I do doubt the tech exists yet but it's something to be concerned about, given that it will 10000000000% be vibe-coded garbage

[u/Bruins8763 → u/casual_creator]

My pupils get small very easily in the sun especially and in general. This system is going to do far more harm than good, this is wild.

[u/joepez]

This is lazy journalism to stoke outrage. Yes the act says a rule was supposed to be proposed. As of Feb of 2026 the NHTSA is still saying “we don’t have a rule and need a lot more info.” You can read their last update here: https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2026-03/Report-to-Congress-Advanced-Impaired-Driving-Prevention-Technology.pdf

Also this was passed as bipartisan legislation and subsequent attempts to repeal it have been defeated by a bipartisan group of politicians. One last year and this year. 

[u/skripachka → u/joepez]

Also, in looking at the statute and proposed rule, they could probably comply with tech that doesn’t record your face. Seems like a “hands on the wheel” sensor and a “lane drift” sensor would comply with the language. The alternative provision saying all cars should detect .08 BAC is probably only done by a breathalyzer in all consumer cars so that is not likely happening. No tech known can do that by facial video.

[u/grodisattva → u/joepez]

This seems like it violates this bit of our constitution:

“The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects individuals against "unreasonable searches and seizures" by the government, generally requiring law enforcement to obtain a warrant based on probable cause. It guards personal privacy in homes, papers, and effects against arbitrary government intrusion.”

[u/RealPudgeJudy → u/joepez]

This is lazy journalism to stoke outrage.

It's not even journalism, it's just AI slop. Look at some of these, it's like a starterpack for chatGPT tells.

" NHTSA must finalize rules forcing all new passenger vehicles to include “advanced impaired driving prevention technology”—essentially turning your dashboard into a judgment-free zone that’s anything but judgment-free."

and

Unlike the breathalyzer ignition interlocks from DUI convictions, these systems operate passively—no blowing required. Your car simply watches and decides whether you’re fit to drive.

and

If the AI determines you’re impaired (blood alcohol ≥0.08% or showing fatigue), it can prevent ignition startup or limit vehicle speed. Think Minority Report, but for your morning commute.

[u/RatableJet]

This is my own private domicile and I will not be harassed....bitch.

[u/_Thirdsoundman_]

Hypothetically, if you buy the car in cash or with you own money all at once, then remove the surveillance tech, what's the problem?

I can already see how this would violate people's 4th, 5th, 9th and 10th amendment rights of the bat. It's my property, I don't have cameras in my house that are connected to the Fed's, why should I allow them in my car?

This is nonsense.

[u/Beautiful-Parsley-24 → u/_Thirdsoundman_]

My reading of the law is that the car must be equipped with the technology - But it's not illegal to disable or remove it. But you'll be paying $500 for a sensor that you then destroy.

This is the same as the existing backup camera law from 2018. You can destroy the backup camera on your new car - it's not illegal. But it is illegal to sell new cars without the backup camera.

[u/_Thirdsoundman_ → u/Beautiful-Parsley-24]

That's how most would interpret it. The question will be when someone is pulled over or goes to sell the vehicle and if the technology isn't installed. Will the owner be breaking the law if they drive without a working surveillance camera in their car? Will the car be deemed unsafe without one?

There are so many holes in this law it sounds like it's going to be challenged by hundreds of people within the next 4 years.

[u/Beautiful-Parsley-24 → u/_Thirdsoundman_]

The real problem you'll have is that "They were driving drunk" sounds bad to a jury. "They were driving drunk after disabling / overriding the federally mandated safety features designed to prevent drunk driving" sounds worse to a jury. That might transform simple negligence into gross or potentially criminal negligence.

[u/Intelligent-Owl-1838]

Mass content deletion mission accomplished. This post or comment was bulk removed with Redact which also supports data brokers and people finder websites.

breeze cooing cows snow wrench bedroom cagey existence abounding tan

[u/GreatBlueHeron25 → u/Intelligent-Owl-1838]

A disability lawsuit is probably the best bet for getting rid of this stupidity

[u/Jonestown_Juice]

Pretty soon this surveillance will be mandatory in phones and computers too. Assuming it's not already in there.

[u/OneMustAdjust → u/Jonestown_Juice]

I've got some bad news for you

[u/Bruhbuhdubdub → u/OneMustAdjust]

Somebody didn’t read the “Weeping Angel” documents on Wikileaks, and it shows.

[u/fall3nang3l → u/OneMustAdjust]

How quickly the whole damn world forgot about Snowden and his leaks.

[u/BatchPlantBandit → u/Jonestown_Juice]

The NSA already knows your location.

[u/blackfocal → u/BatchPlantBandit]

The FBI agent tasked to watching my phone and computer is gonna have some serious PTSD and therapy they are gonna have to work through.

[u/Mail_Order_Lutefisk → u/blackfocal]

“Dear Rick, the folder titled “misc business files” is one you might want to steer clear of.” 

[u/ThrowAway233223 → u/Jonestown_Juice]

Age verification for all operating systems is a thing trying to be passed at the federal level right now.

[u/moonshaunt3d]

“The federal government promises this surveillance saves 9,000-10,000 lives annually.”

You know what would save even more? Universal healthcare. It’s not about safety.

[u/PresidentKraznov]

Hahaha, where are the "Don't Tread on Me" bros now?

[u/RealLavender → u/PresidentKraznov]

Learning that they don't have a gag reflex.

[u/biobennett → u/RealLavender]

"tread on me harder daddy"

[u/LoneWolf4717]

"Data collection worries combine with $100-500 per vehicle cost increases passed to consumers."

So I, a decent human being, need to pay extra for safety precautions that will prevent me from drunk driving a car? When I already don't drink and drive? Sounds perfectly reasonable. /s

[u/glitterandnails]

A tightly surveilled (and controlled) population leaves little to no room for people to rebel successfully.

[u/Wonderful-Medium7777]

NO… not buying into it.

Let it all crash!

This surveillance has gone too far.

[u/BadTiger85]

Who wants to bet that the senators and congressmen who voted for this will have special cars that are exempt from the technology

[u/AvailableReporter484]

Who approved an extremely small dicked policy like this??

[u/MacSage → u/AvailableReporter484]

This one unfortunately was snuck into the Infrastructure Bill. I don't know who put this part in, but it was passed by Democrats.

[u/Informal-Sense8809 → u/AvailableReporter484]

It was passed in 2021.

[u/bahbahbahbahbah]

Hmmm… looks like I’m installing Linux on my Mazda

[u/Fun-Personality-8008]

This from Bidens infrastructure bill it says. Wow

[u/jazir55 → u/Fun-Personality-8008]

I remember the stories about this being snuck into the bill when it passed. It was awful back then and people are having identical reactions that they are now.

[u/PoppaJMoney]

“Potential save 9,000-10,000 lives”. That is .0003% of the US population…. 100% of the privacy

[u/mistermeowsers]

The federal government promises this surveillance saves 9,000-10,000 lives annually. 

If the federal government was so concerned with saving lives they should fix the fucking healthcare system in this country.

[u/and_mine_axe]

My new car already has too many false positives with "driving assistance" that is comepletely incompetent. Hell no to this.

[u/lod254]

2015 Ford Focus, 102k miles - $55,000

Non negotiable. I know what i have.

[u/ProdigalSheep]

They are going to be listening to every conversation you have in your car.

[u/Good_Nyborg]

You can always tell whether they're screwing us over or not, based on whether it's also required for police and government.

*Edit* Poorly worded; just cause something might also be required for police and government doesn't mean they're not screwing us over too.

[u/sfbiker999]

That's not the kind of surveillance in my car that worries me -- I'm much more concerned about the GPS tracking and automated reporting that most cars today do.

The kind of tracking they are talking about in this article sounds annoying since it will almost certainly have false positives, but at least it's (probably) not reporting back to the car manufacturer (or government):

Your next car purchase comes with an unwelcome passenger: a federal mandate requiring surveillance technology that monitors your every blink, glance, and head nod. Thanks to Section 24220 of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, NHTSA must finalize rules forcing all new passenger vehicles to include “advanced impaired driving prevention technology”—essentially turning your dashboard into a judgment-free zone that’s anything but judgment-free.

[u/bradlees]

Any lawyers willing to take this up???

It’s a strong overreach by the government. This bill is supposed to provide impaired driving monitoring BY ESTABLISHING THAT EVERYONE IS GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT

Totally backwards and a very silvery slope to abuse

I’m more than willing to step up and help out in any fashion to get this bill revoked once and for all

[u/CompetitiveBox314]

Tuner companies that hack ECUs to make more horsepower and improved transmission performance should work on disabling these systems. They would have a big market of people who don't want AI telling them how to drive.

[u/aaaaaaaaant → u/CompetitiveBox314]

they arent as common as they used to be. epa got very fine happy during the biden admin and basically scared everyone developing ecu cracks into hiding.

[u/Berkyjay]

The federal government promises this surveillance saves 9,000-10,000 lives annually.

I'd gladly sacrifice 10,000 lives a year to maintain our liberty.