Last Updated on November 30, 2021
Biden’s “build back better” legislation contains what amounts to a “vehicle kill switch” requirement for automobile manufacturers. The proposal is being marketed to legislators as a safety measure that would cut down on drunk-driving incidents. The bill would require automobile manufacturers to build such capabilities in all new cars, starting in five years.
The provision was reported on by former U.S. Rep. Bobb Barr with the Daily Caller. Barr describes the measure as “disturbingly short on details” and said it should set off multiple red flags. The “safety” device would “passively monitor the performance of a driver of a motor vehicle to accurately identify whether that driver may be impaired.”
In order for a car to be equipped with this capability, the system would always be on and casually monitoring the performance of the driver. It would also of course give entities the ability to stop vehicles. This would likely turn into a government function over time in the name of regulation. In addition to that, Barr pointed out that the system would need to be “open”, or at least one with a backdoor, meaning unauthorized or third-parties can gain access to the system’s data.
Such a system would be “mandatory” for vehicles built after 2026, according to the new legislation.
Previously, National File reported that the infrastructure bill contains a hidden provision to tax Americans’ vehicle used per mile they drive, something experts warn would disproportionately affect those involved in the supply chain and rural Americans. National File reported:
Biden’s bloated infrastructure bill allocates “$125 million toward exploring the possibility of a federal vehicle miles traveled tax (VMT) by funding the launch of federal, state and local VMT pilot programs.” Tax payments to the federal government on mileage would be calculated quarterly.
Biden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg floated the idea of a mileage tax during an NBC interview, receiving backlash from U.S. motorists.
