California Senate Passes Bill Requiring Passive Speed Limiters

california senate passes bill requiring passive speed limiters

The bill requires that passive speed limiters be installed in all new cars manufactured or sold in California by 2032.

California Senate Bill 961 (SB 961) was passed by a 22-13 vote this week requiring that 50 percent of new vehicles manufactured or sold in California must have passive speed limiters installed by 2029. By 2032, that percentage increases to 100 percent.

A passive speed limiter is a system that warns drivers with audible and visual signals when their speed exceeds the posted speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour. SB 961 applies to all trucks, buses and passenger vehicles manufactured or sold in the state. Emergency vehicles are exempt from the passive speed limiter requirement.

“California, like the nation as a whole, is seeing a horrifying spike in traffic deaths, with thousands of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians dying each year on our roads,” said Senator Scott Wiener who put forth the bill. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety’s (OTS) 2023 Traffic Safety Report, one third of all traffic fatalities in the state between 2017 and 2021 were speeding-related.

This bill must now pass the Assembly by August 31. If it is passed and becomes law, it will make California the first state in the nation with a passive speed limiter requirement. However, they will not be the first government in the world to do so. Similar systems will be required in all vehicles sold in the EU beginning July of this year. Even here in the U.S., both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have recommended a federal passive speed limiter requirement be implemented.

A passive speed limiter is also referred to as a “passive intelligent speed assistance system.” In the text of SB 961 that system is described as: “An integrated vehicle system that uses, at minimum, the GPS location of the vehicle compared with a database of posted speed limits, to determine the speed limit, and utilizes a brief, one-time visual and audio signal to alert the driver each time they exceed the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour.” If the system has conflicting speed limits in the same area, the higher speed limit is used. Hopefully the system will be sophisticated enough to determine when a vehicle is at Laguna Seca for a track day. A driver out for an HPDE day doesn’t want to be beeped at while heading down the Rahal Straight.

SB 961 is not a law yet, but we would not bet against it. It would also not be surprising to see other states adopt similar measures.

OTHER NEWS

36 minutes ago

Supreme Court 'Created A Hash' With Gun Control Ruling: Attorney

36 minutes ago

Trump says he suggested setting up a migrant fighting league to UFC’s Dana White

36 minutes ago

Glasgow Warriors player ratings: ‘Sheer perfection’ from outstanding back-row duo as Scots shock Bulls

36 minutes ago

Trump makes a WILD claim about Biden ahead of their CNN debate

36 minutes ago

Israeli strikes kill at least 42 in Gaza City, Hamas-run media office says

36 minutes ago

Video: Disgust as footage emerges of a wounded Palestinian man strapped to hood of an IDF jeep as Middle East conflict continues to rage

39 minutes ago

Inside Out 2 hits $US500m at worldwide box office

43 minutes ago

Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno on 10-day injured list with sprained left thumb

43 minutes ago

Kevin De Bruyne stars as Belgium beat Romania - but Romelu Lukaku goal curse continues

43 minutes ago

Could big tech eventually face its USSR moment and collapse completely?

43 minutes ago

Taylor Swift's huge net worth after sold-out Era's Tour as she announces end date

43 minutes ago

Max Scherzer set to make season debut Sunday for Rangers against Royals

43 minutes ago

Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, Phillies agree to four-year deal for 2025-28

43 minutes ago

AFC North Depth Chart Rankings: Off-Ball Linebackers

43 minutes ago

Gray pitches 2-hit ball over 5 innings and Langford hits grand slam to lift Rangers over Royals 6-0

43 minutes ago

MLB Roundup: Thorpe gets first major league win to lead White Sox over Tigers

43 minutes ago

Vandals spray paints ‘F–k Elon’ on 34 new Tesla Cybertrucks in Florida

46 minutes ago

Mets RHP Kodai Senga to throw batting practice on Sunday in Florida

46 minutes ago

Jared Jones strikes out 8, Oneil Cruz hits the ball into the Allegheny as Pirates edge Rays 4-3

48 minutes ago

SAG-AFTRA Names Recipients Of George Heller Memorial Award Gold Cards

49 minutes ago

Free-agent focus for the Edmonton Oilers

49 minutes ago

Stoinis delivers bizarre send-off after unwanted stat

49 minutes ago

Soccer-Belgian De Bruyne not ready to talk retirement after Euros masterclass

49 minutes ago

Iranian rapper Tomaj Salehi spared death penalty, faces retrial amid international outcry

49 minutes ago

Egypt blames Hajj deaths on 'unregistered' Mecca arrivals

49 minutes ago

Hill adds 100m backstroke silver to 50m gold at European Championships

49 minutes ago

Analysis of resigning MPs reveals upcoming demographic shift in parliament

49 minutes ago

What matters to Welsh voters?

49 minutes ago

Nelson’s HMS Victory gives scientists vital DNA for battle against deathwatch beetle

49 minutes ago

Everton make offer to sign "incredible" ace who's the perfect Gueye upgrade

49 minutes ago

15 heatwave-proof dresses to suit all shapes and sizes

49 minutes ago

Travelers Championship: Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele blitz TPC River Highlands to set up a Sunday shootout with leader Tom Kim... leaving Cam Young's 59 in the dust

49 minutes ago

Family of Audrey Wallace struggles for support while daughter in palliative care

52 minutes ago

David Crisafulli determined to ‘snatch defeat from the jaws of victory’

52 minutes ago

Queensland family call for housing assistance for 6-year-old daughter in palliative care

56 minutes ago

Video: Joanna Gaines excitedly throws her youngest son Crew a 'fossil dig' party to celebrate his sixth birthday

56 minutes ago

Parliamentary inquiry begins investigating new Spirit of Tasmania ships

56 minutes ago

The Bikeriders thinks masculinity is a curse — but it looks cool on a motorcycle

56 minutes ago

Dressel and Ledecky win again at U.S. Olympic swimming trials. Keep an eye on Kate Douglass, too

56 minutes ago

Former NRL star Chris Walker opens up on cheating death and how steroids saved his life: 'It makes you feel superhuman'