A new California bill is pushing to require new cars to automatically alert "overspeeding" drivers in the state's latest move to improve traffic safety across its congested highways.
The bill, which has already passed the first Senate vote on Tuesday, is proposed to require all car dealers in the state by 2032 to integrate an alert system that would notify drivers if they exceed the 10 mph (16kph) speed limit.
The alert system will reportedly use a GPS-based intelligent speed assistance to track the car where it would emit a "brief, one-time visual and audio signal" once drivers go beyond the speed limit.
San Francisco Democrat and bill author Sen. Scott Wiener touted the legislation as a way to curb speeding-related road incidents in the state as "research has shown that this does have an impact in getting people to slow down."
In 2021 alone, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration recorded that over 35% of road fatalities in California were related to "overspeeding."
This was the second-highest number of speed-related incidents in the country, only outnumbered by Texas with 1,568 speeding-related fatalities.
The Associated Press first reported about the proposed road safety legislation.
California Taps into Generative AI to Solve Traffic Jams
The GPS-assisted speed limit alert system is only one of the several legislations the state is trying to push to solve traffic jams and road accidents across major highways.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is reportedly set to pass several bills that would incorporate generative AI to help the state provide better public services for both drivers and pedestrians.
The state has partnered with five AI firms in a six-month test run to see how effective their technology is in addressing one of society's greatest problems.
Overspeed Alerts May Slow Down Car Sales in California
Amid the Democrats' support for the bill, more Republicans are expressing concerns about the legislation over its potential impact on car sales in California.
According to the AP report, the requirement is likely to further delay the manufacturing process for new automotibiles, further hurting the state's car market.
California's auto industry has only started recovering from a sales slowdown since the pandemic as restrictions begin to ease.
If the legislation is passed, Republicans pointed out that it would only dissuade potential car owners amid the confusing regulations happening on the West Coast.
