It happened in 2023 during an amendment process on a bill: Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola voted against the amendment, which was offered by Republican Rep.Thomas Massie to reverse earlier Biden Administration legislation that mandates that all new cars must have kill switches installed on them, which the government could then use to kill the engine remotely.
House Republicans in 2023 tried to take out the “kill switch” mandate, which theoretically allows an agency or person located anywhere on the planet to take control of your vehicle. The House failed that day to pass Massie’s amendment to defund that piece of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Peltola voted with the Democrats.
According to the new Biden Administration mandates, new cars will to be able to listen to in-car noises and conversations, monitor drivers’ eyes, check the air in the car for alcohol fumes, and have kill switches that will automatically shut your car off if the computer — or someone controlling the computer — thinks you should not drive.
Privacy advocates express concern that the technology may not be good enough to know when to legitimately shut off a car after the computer determines the driver is impaired.
Another question is: What is someone is injured or sick and is trying to get to a doctor or hospital, but the computer decides the person should not drive?
Further concerns relate to computers connected to the internet that could be hacked and operated remotely by nefarious persons.
Although Massie’s amendment didn’t pass, it’s not over. U.S. Congressmen Scott Perry of Pennsylvania has sponsored H.R. 6563, the No Kill Switches in Cars Act, which would similarly repeal the kill switch mandate.