FILE – President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on March 7, 2024, at the Capitol in Washington. Just hours after President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. military would set up a temporary port off the coast of Gaza, European Union officials said Friday, March 8, 2024, that much-needed aid would be shipped by sea to war-torn Gaza. I visited Cyprus to inspect preparations for shipping. The Mediterranean Coast supports such efforts. (Shaun Hsu/Pool photo via AP, file)
The government may soon shut down your car.
President Joe Biden's new infrastructure law gives bureaucrats that power.
When the media covered the matter, by 2026 all U.S. cars would have to “monitor” their drivers, determine if they are impaired, and “restrict vehicle operation” if they are. Few people mentioned the requirement that it not be, so you've probably never heard of it.
Rep. Thomas Massie disagreed, complaining that the law makes the government “judge, jury, and executioner of these fundamental rights.”
Congress approved the law anyway.
USA Today's “Fact Check” told readers not to worry: “There is no kill switch in Biden's bill.”
“They don't read it, because it's there!” says automotive engineer and former vintage race car driver Lauren Fix in my new video. This provision is incorporated into Section 24220 of the Act.
USA Today's “fact” check didn't exactly lie. The law recognized that “new cars must be equipped with technology that identifies whether a driver is impaired and prevents him or her from driving.” Apparently they didn't like the term “kill switch.”
But it is teeth kill switch.
That's what Mothers Against Drunk Driving wants.
I say to Fix, “That will save your life.”
“Can I give up all control of my life?” she asks. “Once you give that up, you don't have any more freedom. This computer decides you can't drive your car. Great. Unless someone has a heart attack and is trying to go to the hospital.”
Kill switches are just one of several ways governments are proposing to control the way we drive.
California lawmakers are requiring new cars to be equipped with speed governors that prevent drivers from exceeding the speed limit of 16 miles per hour.
This will reduce speeding violations.but do not have Speeding is also dangerous, Fix says. “If something is coming at you, you have to adjust.”
Newer cars have a special button on the dashboard. If you suddenly need to speed up and are trying to get out of a bad situation and find the button, you can speed up for 15 seconds.
For all these new safety devices to work, the car needs to monitor the driver. I didn't know this was already the case until I researched this.
The Mozilla Foundation reports that automakers “collect information such as your age, gender, ethnicity, driver's license number, purchasing history, and preferences.” Nissan and Kia “collect information about their sex lives.”
how? The car points a video camera at the passenger. Other devices will listen to your conversations and intercept your text messages.
And 76% of car companies “sell data,” says Mozilla.
“I just bought a new car,'' I said to Fix. “No one told me about this.”
“Oh, there it is,” she answered. “When you buy a new car, you get a very long document…in small print that says, 'We are collecting your data.' We know and own everything you do in your car. There's nothing you can do about it. ”
Finally, Biden's infrastructure bill also includes a pilot program that would tax people based on the number of miles they drive.
“The mileage charge seems fair,” I told Fix. “If you cause damage to the road, please pay for it.”
“That’s right,” she replies. “But when you start allowing them this, they may say, “We don't want you guys to buy firearms.'' … “We don't want you to go to that destination. So we're not going to let you start the car.'' It's a control issue. ”
I push back. “They don't control me.”
“I can,” she answered. “Wait until you get your carbon bill. “You've reached your carbon credit limit. I won't let you drive today! Take the train. Take the electric bus.”
“This is paranoia,” I suggest.
“Maybe,” Fix says. “But so far, everything I've said about these things continues to make sure that each step is followed.”
Every Tuesday, Stossel posts a new video on JohnStossel.com about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Scammers, Fraudsters, Fraudsters and the Liberal Media's Scourge''.
