Posted on 02/14/2025 5:52:58 AM PST by MtnClimber
Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) has renewed his call to repeal a little-known section of the 2021 Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) containing a federal mandate that all vehicles sold after 2026 must have a kill switch.
In a hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Wednesday, Massie questioned Michael Hanson who was representing the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) over the requirement for a kill switch that can disable vehicles based on a driver’s performance.
Hanson affirmed that section 24220 the IIJA directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require advanced impaired driving detection technology in all new vehicles, stating, “This technology, once implemented, would prevent an impaired driver from operating a vehicle and harming themselves or others.”
Rep. Massie asked Hanson if he was aware that the technology he was advocating for does not yet exist and called the mandate “Orwellian” saying it “threatens civil liberties.”
Massie reminded Hanson that before seatbelts and airbags were mandated, they both existed in commercial vehicles for over a decade and asked him whether this kill switch technology existed in any commercial vehicle at present.
Hanson responded that he was not aware of any currently existing example of the kill switch technology and compared it to ignition interlock devices which prevent vehicle operation if a driver’s blood alcohol level is above a certain limit.
Massie explained that the difference between the ignition interlock and the newly mandated technology is that the one Hanson is advocating for is science fiction presently, adding, “It doesn’t exist in any vehicle, it’s never been implemented and there’s a mandate by the government to have it in every new vehicle within two years.”
Massie then warned that, even if the mandate were implemented there is the possibility of false positives in which the car itself might decide that the operator is not driving safely.
“Let’s say a mother is driving her vehicle, taking her kids to work. How does she appeal her conviction of a disabled minivan from the side of the road?” Massie asked, “How would you re-enable a car that’s been disabled with this technology you’re advocating for?”
Hanson answered that the technology would detect when a driver has a predetermined alcohol concentration or is above that predetermined alcohol concentration and is focused on preventing an impaired driving incident from happening before it does.
Massie reminded Hanson that the mandated technology simply does not yet exist and that other considerations include artificially raising the price of the vehicle and the prospect of false positives that could put the public in danger.
Massie has previously condemned the kill switch mandate as a violation of the fundamental right to travel.
Next up, kill switches on toilets
Even better would be to bring back simple diesel pick-up trucks, naturally aspirated, running on sulfur diesel and with no electronics, that last 1 million miles and costs $15K.
“Like motorcycle helmets, it becomes a freedom vs. cost problem. Yes, it can be individual choice, but if you end up seriously injured, on disability and requiring a lot of medical treatment, then it’s infringing on me, through increased taxes for your SSI and increased insurance premiums to handle your medical expenses.”
Which happens when the nature of the impact of a car accident causes compression of the seat belt against the body in such a way that the person loses a kidney. Yes, it happens.
I also know of a case where a mother and child only survived an accident, thrown from the car, while her husband, trapped by the seat belt, died as the car went through a road side barrier dropping 200 feet down over a cliff. Had his wife had the seat belt on when she was nursing the baby, she and the child would also have died. Instead they were thrown clear before the car went through the barrier. They had minor injuries but nothing serious.
I had two people I worked with at different times, whose spouses died (1) or at minimum critically injured (1) due to internal organ damage due to seat belt restraint during a car accident.
My 2022 Ford F350 Platinum will give a warning light if it senses excessive weaving. The light is a Coffee Cup and tells the driver to pull over and get some rest.
It's not an "if" - it's reality. Here's a 20 second advertisement from a few years ago extolling how police can shut off a car during a chase.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc-zHgO51bc
The Feral “government” sure stepped on its wee wee with this braindead idea. Somewhere there is a teenager figuring out how to hack their “kill switch”. ROTFL. This is as dumb as trying to make guns that can only be fired by their owner.
hang ‘em all.
That is the main reason for regulatory nonsense. To drive the cost of cars up so much that only the wealthiest will be able to afford one.
Hackers will have a field day with this. And hopefully target government vehicles to make the point.
When Mount St. Helens erupted people sped away from it. Oh, you’re speeding, shut off your car!
When Mount St. Helens erupted people sped away from it.
Not Harry Truman.
😂
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