Are you prepared to assess whether your vehicle is roadworthy? If not, you might want to hold on tight.
A recent federal mandate stipulates that new vehicles from the 2027 model year onward must be equipped with in-car monitoring technology. This tech is designed to evaluate a driver’s fitness to operate the car and includes a “kill switch” to disable it if necessary.
And about those driver monitoring systems—relying on brushing your teeth or using mouthwash to clear any doubts won’t cut it.
Most new vehicles don’t use breathalyzers. Instead, they utilize infrared cameras that continuously check for signs of potential intoxication.
This technology assesses factors like pupil size, head and eye movements, and overall behavior to determine if a driver might be unfit.
Such initiatives raise serious eyebrows among privacy advocates.
“It’s about infringing on every driver’s privacy without solid proof, collecting data on whether they’ve been drinking, then leaving them unable to start their car,” said automotive expert Lauren Fix, founder of Car Coach Reports.
The legislation for this new system was tucked away in the Biden administration’s 2021 Infrastructure Act, which focuses on enhancing safety on roads, bridges, and airports.
“This initiative originally came from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. They are well-meaning, wanting to prevent drunk driving, which we all agree on,” Fix pointed out.
General Motors (GM) has applied for a patent for technology that detects impairment through cameras and sensors analyzing how drivers approach their vehicles. Ford plans to implement cameras and “machine learning” to monitor iris patterns, facial expressions, and heart rates to assess impairment.
Toyota is experimenting with a system designed to prevent the car from starting if a sweat sensor in the steering wheel detects high alcohol levels.
However, Fix warns that each method comes with its own challenges. There are “a million different scenarios” where a driver could be falsely deemed intoxicated, even during emergencies.
“Imagine your mother has fainted, or your house has caught fire. Maybe your partner is going into labor and needs urgent help. What if you’re just feeling overwhelmed and the car won’t start? That’s the dilemma,” she explained.
Additionally, there’s the matter of response time: how long does it take for the car to become operational again?
“How do you escape a ‘kill switch prison’? Calling the police isn’t an option. It’s frustrating to think that some bureaucrat could prevent you from driving when it’s urgent. That’s a significant issue,” she stated.
This year, alcohol-related accidents will claim 12,429 American lives, and in 2024, authorities expect to arrest 804,926 individuals for suspected impaired driving.
Drunk driving is a serious problem, but pre-checking every driver can seem nearly impossible. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports there are approximately 1.1 billion daily car trips in the U.S., many for ordinary errands.
Harry Morgan, CEO of Privacy Bee, raised alarms about the constant surveillance of drivers, warning that their data could be sold to insurance companies.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has indicated the technology isn’t quite ready for widespread use, recognizing that even highly accurate systems can produce millions of incorrect alerts each year.
Moreover, experts express concerns about privacy and what happens to the data collected on drivers.
“We never leave anyone in the car,” noted Morgan. “We’re tracking various visual signals, typically sending them to an automotive cloud.”
He advocates for addressing drunk driving but suggests the data may soon be monetized. “A few major automakers may be gathering this behavioral data and embedding permissions in their terms of service, allowing them to sell it,” he added.
He cautioned against the potential exploitation of individual privacy, emphasizing that such practices should not become commonplace.
As with many new regulations, consumers are likely to bear the financial burden. Reports indicate that implementing infrared technology could raise new car prices by $100 to $500.
“Consumers aren’t in favor of this infrared detection,” Fix noted. “That could negatively impact the auto industry because people might keep using their current vehicles.” She also mentioned that the auto sector hasn’t pushed back against these changes as vigorously as it could.
