By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach
You may not be aware of this, but the infrastructure bill that passed in 2021 includes speed regulations on all vehicles.
Yes, that bill that no one reads!
We did talk about breathalyzers and how those are being installed by 2026. That will change the way you drive your vehicle in many ways. That will include eye scans, listening in your vehicle, finger-tip starting, and the breathalyzer I mentioned.
In addition to this, the feds want automakers to put speed limiters in every new vehicle.
On the surface it sounds great, nobody speeds, until you need to avoid an accident or get around a bad situation. You will not be able to accelerate faster than the posted speed limit. So if the speed limit is 45 you cannot do 46 miles an hour.
If you’re one that never speeds, this sounds wonderful, and that the roads will be safer.
But in reality, it’s about control! Control of what you drive, where you drive, how you drive, what you’re doing in your vehicle and how you’re doing it. This is just more nanny state controls. So what does the actual infrastructure bill state?
The National Transportation Safety Board has a new recommendation for automakers that could “force” new cars to slow down.
Federal data shows more than 20,000 deaths on our roads in the first half of the year. This new effort is predicted to save tens of thousands of lives each year.
The NTSB is calling on the federal government to start incentivizing carmakers to put smart speed limiter systems in new cars. The speed limiter program works through telematics.
Stored data on local speed limits is cross-referenced with a car’s GPS position. You may have significant traffic sign recognition on your navigation system if gauge cluster.
The software would be added to vehicles that would give drivers an alarm or simply just cuts off the accelerator when they reach the speed limit.
New York City is already testing speed-limiting technology in some of NYC’s fleet vehicles and lobbying that this technology goes into every new consumer vehicle.
It works exactly how you think it works, your vehicle will not let you speed.
So why is this a bad idea?
If your gas pedal goes dead when the vehicle reaches the posted speed limit, then you are not in control. There is a button that you will be able to press in the car to bypass the limit and go faster. But, it will only allow you to do so for 15 seconds. This is only to be used if you have an emergency and you are trying to avoid a potential accident, crime, or whatever, but for only 15 seconds.
Speed-limiters will not eliminate accidents, they will just create stupider ones. The government thinks they can do a better job of running your life and driving your car than you can. That should seriously concern you. You are giving up your freedoms and you never get them back.
Bad and distracted drivers are the real problem. A lack of driver training in this country is a real problem–plus bad roadways, road diets, and traffic issues are the bigger problems.
Relying on technology-dependent vehicles creates even more incapable drivers.
Tell the NTSB about a better solution. If you want to create a more strenuous driver’s test, you will save lives. Add car control testing to the road test. That includes controlled scenarios such as skid pads, aggressive lane change maneuvers, and threshold-breaking exercises. This kind of testing of drivers will save lives. They do it today in Europe and their roads are safer. There’s your proof of concept.
Trying to remove my ability to control my vehicle will not make me safer. It will cause people to find workarounds or not purchase new vehicles.
There is so much more to discuss on this, put your comments below and let’s start the conversation.
Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®, is a nationally recognized automotive expert, analyst, author, and television host. A trusted car expert, Lauren provides an insider’s perspective on a wide range of automotive topics and aspects, energy, industry, consumer news, and safety issues.
Lauren is the CEO of Automotive Aspects and the Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports, a global automotive news outlet. She is an automotive contributor to national and local television news shows, including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN International, The Weather Channel, Inside Edition, Local Now News, Community Digital News, and more. Lauren also co-hosts a regular show on ABC.com with Paul Brian called “His Turn – Her Turn” and hosts regular radio segments on USA Radio – DayBreak.
Lauren is honored to be inducted into the Women’s Transportation Hall of Fame and a Board Member of the Buffalo Motorcar Museum and Juror / President for the North American Car, Utility & Truck of the Year Awards.
Check her out on Twitter and Instagram @LaurenFix.
