New California law would make your car nag you about slowing down

"Why are you taking that exit?" "You need to get in the turning lane." "Slow down!!!"

Have you ever wanted to get that "backseat driver" experience when you're driving alone?

This means all vehicles will have a speed alert to go along with the kill switch, data monitoring, and more. Move over, Jesus. Big Brother's your copilot now.

Well, California (of course) just passed a bill that will force your car do the nagging for you. And unlike an irritating passenger, you can't tell it to shut up.

If this bill becomes law, it's going to affect all of us. It's not as if car manufacturers are going to make California-only models.

Senate Bill 961 mandates that each time your vehicle exceeds the speed limit by more than ten miles per hour, your car must "utilize a brief, one-time, visual and audio signal to alert the driver."

These so-called "intelligent speed limiters" will be mandatory in all 2030 model year cars and beyond. And there's no way to disable them.

It's passed both the state Assembly and the state Senate, which means all it needs now is Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom's signature. And this kind of authoritarian leftist nanny-state legislation is right in his wheelhouse, especially since violations won't just earn a ticket — they'll be "punishable as a crime."

Of course, lawmakers are saying this has nothing to do with privacy — it's just a simple "safety feature."

Right.

Never mind that existing law already prohibits a person from driving a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than the speed limit, or greater than is reasonable or prudent given driving conditions or the possibility of endangering property or persons.

The bill's sponsor, state Senator Scott Wiener (D), said he was surprised by the outraged response from the public. Probably because he's more used to the outrage that comes from his efforts to help "trans" children run away from home.

The bill builds on a law that went into effect in the European Union in July. California is the first state to follow suit, but it won't be the last. The 17 other states that automatically adhere to California vehicle standards will also fall in line. They include New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

In opposition, California Senate Republicans sent Governor Newsom a letter requesting that he veto the bill, arguing that it "imposes an extreme burden" and that the state should instead increase police presence and punish drivers who violate traffic laws.

"The state's traffic safety crisis will not be solved by government taking the wheel," said Republican state Senator Roger Niello.

As the September 30 deadline to act on the bill looms, there is little to suggest that Newson will veto it.

This means all vehicles will have a speed alert to go along with the kill switch, data monitoring, and more. Move over, Jesus. Big Brother's your copilot now.

Editor's note: This article's headline has been correct to say "would" instead of "will" to clarify that the law has not yet been signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.