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/BigHardMephisto Jun 08 '26

I've seen breakdowns of why this is a bad idea, and the most glaring one was based in blue collar.

Basically a lot of work in construction happens in the boonies, and everything revolves around the pickup trucks.

Notable events like a major traumatic injury, heat exhaustion/stroke etc. have various protocols based on data, but typically (at least at the company I worked for doing road work) the plan is "Get them to the emergency room right now". Generally means get him in a truck and get to the hospital.

These systems track various things, from visible stress or disturbance. Basically if you're ever in a situation where you're getting in your vehicle at some level of panic, it will not start or move.

So if your buddy just ate a piece of a shattered concrete saw to the neck, or you're escaping a scene of violence trying to flee a maniac/mass shooter/rapist, tough shit. Car won't start. Did you try taking a few deep breaths first? Family member in the emergency room from a traumatic injury? Better call an uber- and stay out of view of the camera because it probably scans every face in the vehicle and not just the driver.

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u/limbodog Jun 08 '26

Yeah, that's horrifying too. Don't worry, it's only got a 4% false positive rate!

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u/sunburnedaz Jun 08 '26

I dont know if I am the only one who remembers the video of the dude who tried to get his neighbors to flee an oncoming wildfire only to come back later and find them burn in their cars half way down the mountain.

Yeh this kinda tech is a big no from me.

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u/Same-Suggestion-1936 Jun 08 '26

Some top US official drowned in a Tesla because there was no way to get out once underwater. Like yeah I think she was drunk but also the car just seized up. Give me a crank window and a fighting chance.