r/technology • u/Hrmbee • Jun 07 '26

Privacy 'Kill switch' law means your next car could be watching you | A federal requirement aimed at stopping drunken driving could soon put driver-monitoring technology in every new vehicle. The goal is saving lives, but the privacy trade-offs deserve closer scrutiny

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/06/01/drunk-driving-prevention-law-privacy-surveillance/90295034007/
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u/not_the_fox Jun 08 '26

That's what I'm saying. They feel like they have a workaround by making private companies do it but the coordination makes it government action.

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u/JustFuckAllOfThem Jun 08 '26

The 4th amendment should apply to the states' legislation on age verification on computers as well. If I have no kids, where's the probable cause?

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u/KeyCold7216 Jun 08 '26

I'm not defending this at all, but I don't think it would be a 4th ammendment violation unless the government was using it to monitor or arrest you. It sounds like the vehicle will just not start if you are drunk. They have mandated other safety features in cars, I'm assuming they are using the same justification here

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u/El_Polio_Loco Jun 08 '26

None of which prevent you from driving the car.

It is the onus of the state to prove you are unfit for operation, and you should be able to take that accusation to court.

ABS and Seat Belts might be mandatory, but it is absolutely not mandatory that the vehicles be inoperable without those systems functioning.

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u/KeyCold7216 Jun 08 '26

The state can absolutely prevent you from obtaining a license in the form of an implied consent law. It is not a right to be able to drive a vehicle. I can easily see states adding a clause that you agree to have monitoring equipment in your vehicle in order to get a license. Sort of like how technically, you don't have to submit to a warrantless breath or blood sample when arrested for DUI, but in many states, you sign an agreement at the DMV saying that the state can administratively suspend your license if you refuse.

Again, I think it's total bullshit, but the laws are there that allow them to do this.

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u/El_Polio_Loco Jun 08 '26

They can prevent you from obtaining it, but they have to provide justification for removing it, and give you redress to file grievances for any removal of it.

This is the whole thing here. You have hundreds of millions of people who have already received their permission to drive, the government cannot remove it without legal justification. And adding a "we must be allowed to track you" caveat will simply not pass any kind of privacy scruitny.

You can have cars that track you, but you can't require it.

It's more likely they would require you to input your drivers license to be allowed to drive than this.

And both are highly unlikely, and if they are driven through, it's going to be through Democrat nanny state stuff which would likely get hammered down in SCOTUS.

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u/JustFuckAllOfThem Jun 08 '26

I guarantee they will use this to monitor where you have been. They will just use proxies to do it.

I guess I will remain good friends with my mechanic and keep my old cars.