California Senate passes bill to require cars to discourage drivers from speeding

The California Senate on Tuesday passed legislation that would require vehicle manufacturers to build cars with safety features that alert drivers—both audibly and visually—if they’re driving more than 10 mph over the speed limit. The bill is currently in the California General Assembly.

How would California enforce this? The bill would require manufacturers to implant the alert systems in at least 50 percent of the passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses they built or sold in the state by 2029. By 2032, all the vehicles they built or sold in the state must be equipped with the systems.

What penalties would manufacturers face if they failed to comply? The bill says failure to install the systems would be a crime and punishable, but it did not specify the penalties. It also clarifies that the state will not help auto manufacturers with the expenses of developing and installing the new systems. Emergency services vehicles would be exempt from the law.

Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Muncy’s report about how auto manufacturers are already gathering massive amounts of data about their cars’ drivers, according to a recent report.