Not that I think all marriages are doomed but when deciding who to marry you should ask yourself “is this someone I’d want to divorce?” As in, is this someone I believe would be mature and fair, even when they’re upset and don’t particularly like me at the moment. Is this someone I could continue to trust while going through an adversarial process? And if the answer is no, don’t marry them.
New car surveillance tech becomes mandatory by 2027, using infrared cameras to monitor driver sobriety and alertness with privacy and cost c
Key Takeaways
Federal mandate requires surveillance cameras monitoring driver alertness in new vehicles by 2027
Infrared sensors track eye movement and prevent ignition if impairment detected
Technology adds $100-500 per vehicle cost while raising biometric data privacy concerns
Your next car purchase comes with an unwelcome passenger: a federal mandate requiring surveillance technology that monitors your every blink, glance, and head nod. Thanks to Section 24220 of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, NHTSA must finalize rules forcing all new passenger vehicles to include “advanced impaired driving prevention technology”—essentially turning your dashboard into a judgment-free zone that’s anything but judgment-free.
The Technology That’s Watching
Infrared cameras and sensors create a constant biometric assessment of driver alertness and sobriety.
The tech involves infrared cameras mounted on steering columns or A-pillars, tracking eye movement, pupil dilation, and drowsiness patterns. Unlike the breathalyzer ignition interlocks from DUI convictions, these systems operate passively—no blowing required. Your car simply watches and decides whether you’re fit to drive.
If the AI determines you’re impaired (blood alcohol ≥0.08% or showing fatigue), it can prevent ignition startup or limit vehicle speed. Think Minority Report, but for your morning commute.
Timeline for Implementation
The surveillance rollout targets late 2026 to 2027 for all new passenger vehicles.
While NHTSA’s final rule faced delays beyond the November 2024 deadline, automakers will still get 2-3 years for full implementation once regulations are finalized. Your current vehicle stays surveillance-free, but shopping for a 2027 model means accepting this digital copilot.
The timing coincides with broader automotive software integration, making these systems potentially updatable through over-the-air patches—expanding monitoring capabilities post-purchase.
Privacy and Cost Concerns Mount
Data collection worries combine with $100-500 per vehicle cost increases passed to consumers.
The privacy implications extend beyond federal oversight. While the law doesn’t mandate external data sharing, manufacturers could potentially upload biometric data to corporate servers, raising concerns about sharing with insurance companies to adjust your premiums based on driving behavior.
The technology adds significant costs—estimates range from $100-500 per vehicle—that automakers will inevitably pass to consumers already struggling with inflated car prices.
Industry Pushback Intensifies
Automakers oppose the mandate citing technical readiness concerns and sales impact fears.
Car manufacturers argue the technology remains unreliable, warning of false positives that could strand drivers. They’re concerned about customer backlash and potential sales declines as buyers seek older, unmonitored vehicles.
The federal government promises this surveillance saves 9,000-10,000 lives annually. Whether that justifies your car becoming a mobile panopticon depends on how much vehicle autonomy you’re willing to trade for theoretical safety gains. Your driving privacy expires with your current car’s lifespan.
#oh so we need to leave-leave unless the next admin undoes this
it was signed into law by biden, so i highly doubt the dems, who still seem intent on continuing their move to the right by pushing the likes of harris or gruesome newsome as the next candidate, are going to do anything to alleviate this
first article i found when i tried looking up whether this would affect canada had this to say:
The big question is whether Canada will follow America’s lead. Canadian regulators often align closely with NHTSA standards, particularly when it comes to vehicle safety requirements. If anti drunk driving tech becomes mandatory south of the border, it is difficult to imagine Canada ignoring it. Cross border trade and manufacturing integration with Detroit’s automakers would make separate vehicle standards impractical. For Canadian buyers, the technology would likely be introduced by default if it becomes standard in U.S. production.
i'd recommend looking into bikes, scooters, or public transport, or just sticking to older models (tho i'm not convinced they won't be pushing to mandate installation in older cars as well, eventually), no matter where you end up residing
#I've not seen anyone else mention this but I'm pretty sure this absolutely has the capacity to unfairly target disabled people
#like how those bullshit “sobriety tests” done by cops often lead to autistic people failing because of balance/motor skills issues
#that often come along with autism
#what if the system decides that you're impared just because of how you look/hold yourself as a disabled person
#idk I'm kinda struggling to word it properly but it's worrying to me
considering i read that automotive industry people are (were? the law was signed back in '21 i think) worried about the potential for false positives and how this will affect their future sales, i think this is a valid concern
[“A month into the pandemic, the Philadelphia Police Department announced they would delay the arrests and detainments of people caught for nonviolent offenses, including prostitution. Amid increased risk for many workers, the virus also made plain what we already knew, already dreamed up: the police could simply stop arresting people. They’re not going to, of course—at least not for any sustained period—but they could.
I read an interview Fran Lebowitz gave to Aperture in 1994, in which she described her friend, the artist David Wojnarowicz, who died of AIDS in 1992. Asked if he was political, Lebowitz answered, “Very. Very. Although not always in a direct way … But his basic take on things was an adversarial relationship between him and institutions, or himself and authority, and that’s a totally political way to look at life. You know, he hated cops. Not this cop, or that cop. Cops.” The interviewer clarifies, “Because of what they represented?” and Lebowitz answers, “Because they’re cops.”
Wojnarowicz sold sex as a teenager to survive. He raged against a state that had the blood of his loved ones on its hands, a state that would soon have his blood, as well. After his diagnosis, he told us, with everything he made, “fags and dykes and junkies are expendable in this country.” Fags and dykes and junkies and whores—criminals, each and every one of us.
I often think about what brought me here. There are plenty of other things I could do to make money, and plenty of practical and impractical reasons I’ve chosen sex work: lower time commitment than a straight job; insatiable curiosity about the sexual proclivities of others; inherited neuroses I have yet to work out in therapy. Lately, though, I’ve started to think I became a whore because I wanted to align myself with criminality, and in doing so, to solidify my societal position as materially anti-state.
I say “align myself with criminality” and not “become a criminal” because one cannot become a criminal, one can only be labeled a criminal by the state. And it is exceedingly unlikely that I will ever be labeled a criminal, because of my white womanhood and relative wealth and privilege. When police see me, they see innocence. They have historically committed, after all, their most heinous acts in the name of protecting women who look like me. Nonetheless, I disalign myself with them. I want decriminalization, but I never, ever want police on our side.”]
sonya aragon, from whores at the end of the world, from we too: stories on sex work and survival, edited by natalie west
Pavement repairs, such as filling cracks, potholes, or other damage, leave visible patches on the surface. Over time, repeated repairs create a patchy appearance, especially if different materials or techniques are used.