California could require car ‘governors’ that limit speeding to 10 mph over posted limits (San Francisco: credit card, home)

[Upminster-1]

Originally Posted by WRM20

My wife's Subaru Outback reads the speed limit signs.

Yeah. I reckon technology has caught up with me ... and I need to recalibrate.

[mattja]

Originally Posted by WRM20

My wife's Subaru Outback reads the speed limit signs.

Not if there's electrical tape over the camera lens.

[ysr_racer]

We're from the government and we're here to help you.

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by mattja

Not if there's electrical tape over the camera lens.

What does that have to do with anything?

I would bet that if the cameras are non-functional, the car would be required to stay below 25mph.

[mysticpearl]

I drove cross country this past summer.

That type of device would have gotten my family killed.

[Veritas Vincit]

The technology isn't the issue, it's certainly possible. The practicality of it is far more in question. I rarely go more than 10 mph over the speed limit, but I can certainly see situations where it's necessary to do so. But there's also a more philosophical problem with the government literally controlling your movement.


But it's nothing new. In the 1970s government engineers were fantasizing about roads in which all cars are remotely controlled and instead of the 'free for all' we currently have, it'd be a flow of vehicles moving at exactly the same speed at optimized distances. Those government engineers might be retired now, but the folks who followed them are hardly more appreciative of individual autonomy given the 'inefficiencies' and 'harmful externalities' it can generate.


Now this stuff has never been popular anywhere, but ultra-left CA lawmakers have an advantage here. The CA legislature is overwhelmingly liberal with a significant presence of extreme leftists. But when it comes to regulation in the automotive field, the industry as a whole tend to follow CA's lead. The idea being that if CA does it, other liberal states will probably follow, and you can't build a 'red state' car and a 'blue state' car. So they just start building to the strictest regulation. In other words, a loonie left San Francisco state representative can have a significant influence on the way people not just in California, but even in Texas or Tennessee live.

[Axxlrod]

Why do Democrats hate freedom?

[moguldreamer]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I would contest this on the basis of discrimination against people with newer cars, since the people who are in older cars are not subject to the same control.

Discriminating against people with newer cars is neither illegal nor a violation of the US or CA constitutions.

[moguldreamer]

Originally Posted by Upminster-1

Well, I understand the technology that could limit speed to a certain fixed level, e.g., 65 mph, and that it could be programmed to that level. But how does the device "know" what the posted speed limit is? Is it connected to GPS and a database of roads and speed limits and school hours, etc. And is such a database instantaneously and reliably updated every time there is a change? I doubt it !

My Lincoln Aviator has a cruise control feature that automatically adjusts vehicle speed to the posted speed limit. I've never found any anomalies - it always is correct. There also is a setting where I can specify posted speed limit +/- any number of miles per hour.

[mgforshort]

In other words, a loonie left San Francisco state representative can have a significant influence on the way people not just in California, but even in Texas or Tennessee live. - by Veritas Vincit"

How very true. There is much hatred coming towards California from all over the USA and that is one of the reasons. I understand and accept it all because it is justified. We always act like "I'm the smartest guy in the room and don't you forget it."

Now something else. There are enthusiasts who modify their cars for more power, some of it is mechanical and the others are software related so the ECU is less restricted for emission reasons. I'm not qualified to offer more than a question - is that possible in the future ?

And I'm an old geezer happy to trot 5 miles under the limit, but I don't want the government restrict us how to get on a freeway on ramp.