• Senate Bill 961 has just passed the California Legislature and only needs the Governor’s signature to become law.
  • The measure would require all new cars manufactured and sold in the state starting in 2030 to be equipped with speed alerts that notify drivers if they are going 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.
  • The technology is already present in other countries, but California will be a U.S. leader in its implementation.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a new bill headed to his desk. Dubbed SB 961, it would require automakers to install speed alarms in new vehicles starting in 2030. Importantly, it only applies to new vehicles manufactured and sold in the state. Older vehicles won’t need the same technology.

The system works by comparing GPS data, which includes the local speed limit, with the car’s current speed. If the driver exceeds the limit by 10 mph, the car will issue audible and visual alerts at least once. We’ve covered the details of exactly how the technology will work and how it will be implemented earlier. What’s new is that the bill doesn’t require the car to physically restrict the driver’s ability to speed.

Read: San Francisco Police Confiscate Cars for Fun Shows, Including This CTS-V

“In a state where more than 1,000 people die each year due to speeding, this technology will certainly help reduce traffic violence caused by speeding drivers in the same way that seat belts have helped save lives of drivers and passengers,” Damian Kevitt, executive director of Streets Are For Everyone, told the LA Times. It’s worth noting that SAFE is a nonprofit co-sponsor of the bill.

Not everyone is in favor of the bill, of course. “The traffic safety crisis in this state is not going to be solved by government taking over,” Republican Sen. Roger Niello told CBS. “We should be focusing on increasing police presence in our communities and punishing drivers who break our laws.” He’s not alone in that view.

“I already have something in my car screaming at me every time I have my kids in it, and the last thing I need is my car honking at me,” said Assemblyman Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin). Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign the bill. One study in the U.K., where this type of technology is already on the roads, found that it reduced speeds by an average of 1.4 miles per hour. Does that sound like a reasonable speed reduction? Let us know in the comments below!

Image Source: CBS News