A state senator wants new cars sold in California to come with a feature that’s sure to frustrate drivers with a lead foot.
State Sen. Scott Wiener is proposing a law that would require cars to have a speed limiter to help curb traffic injuries and fatalities.
According to national and state figures, traffic fatalities are on the rise. On average, just under 4,000 people are killed in traffic collisions each year in California.
With that in mind, Weiner's proposed legislation would require new vehicles sold in the state to include technology that would prevent drivers from going more than 10 mph over any posted speed limit.
"This technology exists already," Wiener said. "It's being rolled out in different forms in other countries, in other parts of the United States. There are cars being manufactured right now where you have an option of having a speed limiter."
Some car companies like Volvo and General Motors already offer customers an option that's usually marketed to parents of teenagers, allowing them to limit the vehicle's speed through the use of traffic sign-reading cameras or GPS and speed zone databases.
New York City already launched a speed limiting pilot project for some of its government fleet cars, and the European Union has already passed a speed limiting law, but its systems only warn a driver if they're exceeding the speed limit and the systems can be overridden by the driver.
If the proposed legislation is passed and is signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the new requirement would take effect in 2027.
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