The Hill reports that the California Senate has passed Bill 961, authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). The bill mandates that all new cars manufactured or sold in California be equipped with “passive speed governors,” referred to as “intelligent speed assistance systems.” Unlike traditional electronic limiters that physically restrict a vehicle’s speed, SB 961’s proposed intelligent speed assistance system would utilize a brief, one-time visual and audio signal to alert the driver each time they exceed the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour.
Moreover, most modern cars are already equipped with speed governors that cap speeds at around 120 mph or 155 mph, which is still considerably fast. Typically, this limiting is done via software in a car’s ECU; however, the limiter is set so high that it does little to deter speeding. The California law, as written, takes an important step further, potentially having wide-reaching implications.
Wiener’s office states that this bill builds on similar requirements that will take effect in the European Union starting in July. Additionally, the office mentions that the Bill was developed based on recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and AAA.
“California, like the nation as a whole, is experiencing a troubling increase in traffic deaths, leading to thousands of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians losing their lives each year on our roads,” said Senator Wiener. “These deaths are preventable, occurring due to policy choices that tolerate dangerous roads. The evidence is clear: Rising levels of dangerous speeding endanger all Californians, and by taking prudent steps to enhance safety, we can save lives. I thank my colleagues for their support.”
It is worth noting that the E.U.’s regulations mandate a system known as Intelligent Speed Assistance, which “is required to work with the driver and not restrict his/her ability to act at any moment during driving. The driver remains in control and can easily override the ISA system.” The text of SB 961 does not indicate any possibilities for the driver to override the system, although it does specify that the requirement would not apply to emergency vehicles and similar types.
A speed-limiting feature is already present in many European cars sold in America, such as BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo. These features can typically be turned off by the user via settings menus, although sometimes the driver must manually disable it each time the vehicle starts, as it resets to being active by default. These systems usually utilize a camera to read traffic signs, GPS data, or both to recognize the local speed limit, allowing timely warnings to the driver.
The Bill passed in the Senate with a vote of 22-13 and will now advance to the Assembly, where it must pass by August 31, 2024. If successful in the Assembly, it would go into effect in 2032, with a phased implementation reaching 50 percent by 2029.
In other news, California is contemplating replacing its gas tax with a per-mile tax imposed on all vehicles, including electric vehicles. Caltrans is currently running a pilot program to test the viability of this new system.
