- California governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would’ve required new cars to beep at the driver for exceeding the speed limit.
- Newsom said he vetoed the bill so as not to undermine the NHTSA’s federal regulations.
- The European Union already has a similar law in place, but the software can be turned off.
A law that would’ve required all new cars sold in California to beep at the driver for exceeding the speed limit has been vetoed by governor Gavin Newsom.
The proposed law, aimed at reducing driver speed and curbing traffic fatalities, would’ve required new cars to deliver audible alerts to drivers who exceed the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour.
California would’ve become the first state to implement such a regulation. Had the bill been signed into law, all new cars, trucks, and buses sold in the state starting in 2030 would be required to carry the software. The only exceptions would’ve been motorcycles, scooters, and emergency vehicles.
The European Union already has a similar anti-speeding regulation in place. As of 2024, all new cars sold in the region must produce an audible beeping sound any time the car exceeds the speed limit. This feature can be turned off by the occupants, but it reactivates every time the car is turned on.
“Federal law, as implemented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), already regulates vehicle safety standards, and adding California-specific requirements would create a patchwork of regulations that undermines this longstanding federal framework,” Newsom said in a statement explaining his decision. “[The] NHTSA is also actively evaluating intelligent speed assistance systems, and imposing state-level mandates at this time risks disrupting these ongoing federal assessments.”
While the NHTSA hasn’t gone as far as speed-limiting software yet, it has implemented new regulations requiring automatic emergency braking on all new passenger vehicles starting in 2029.
Would you be cool with anti-speeding software in your car? Let us know in the comments.