This measure is aimed directly at reducing speeding-related fatalities. The California Senate proposed the bill under SB 961, sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener, highlighting that such speed-related deaths are preventable.
Senator Wiener emphasized the importance of proactive safety measures in vehicular technology, stating "These deaths are preventable,". This new rule requires cars to provide both audible and visual warnings if the driver surpasses the speed limit by more than 10 mph. Emergency vehicles are exempt from this regulation.
The adoption of such technology mirrors actions taken by other regulatory bodies worldwide. For instance, similar restrictions are set to be implemented in the European Union soon. Volvo was one of the pioneers in this space; back in 2020, it voluntarily began limiting speeds on its new vehicles to 112 mph.
The need for this law became evident through troubling statistics; between 2017 and 2021, one-third of traffic fatalities in California were linked to speeding. This legislation follows recommendations from organizations like the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which have advocated for Intelligent Speed Assistant (ISA) technology's inclusion in all new vehicles—technology that has been available since the 1980s starting in France.
ISA comes in two forms: passive systems, which do not physically restrict vehicle speeds but alert drivers when they exceed limits; and active systems, which enforce limits by reducing vehicle power when necessary. The NTSB urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to make ISAs mandatory on all American-made cars as well.
Souce: Road and Track
