Dystopian Calif Bill Aims to Make New Cars Unable to Speed

It’s official: we are hurtling straight into a dystopian future.

Just when we thought dystopian science fiction was confined to our TV screens, along comes a new governmental initiative that aims to firmly establish its presence in our lives. As if California’s plan to ban combustion-powered vehicles by 2035 wasn’t alarming enough; now, they introduce another proposal, escalating government intervention to a new level.   

This time, the plan revolves around a bill, part of which seeks to limit the speed of vehicles to no more than 10 mph above the speed limit. The vision is to electronically and remotely restrict the speed of all vehicles manufactured during or after the 2027 model year.

Car & Driver delved into the bill’s intricacies, revealing that it allows for temporary disablement of the speed limiter by the driver. However, the specific situations in which this provision might apply remain unclear.

While it’s undeniable that speed can contribute to hazardous situations on the road, the real debate lies in how much control we are willing to cede to the government in our personal lives in the name of potential safety. This question is likely to take center stage on the national platform if the bill gains momentum.

Senator Scott Wiener, the bill’s proposer, defended the proposal by stating to ABC7 in California, “I don’t think it’s at all an overreach, and I don’t think most people would view it as an overreach. We have speed limits, and I think most people support speed limits because people know that speed kills.”

So, the question arises: is this merely another step in the evolution of transportation, or is the government extending its reach too far into areas where it shouldn’t meddle?

Frankly, when we look at the way that autonomous vehicles are coming along, we would be surprised if new cars are creating any accidents in 2027 but I digress.