Well, after reading that the U.S. government – U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission – is seeking to ban gas stoves & ranges (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-environment/agency-to-consider-federal-ban-of-gas-stoves-over-health-hazards), I thought Washington couldn’t get any more ridiculously humorous. I was wrong!
In-the-event-you-missed the widely reported news that the U.S. government is acting on your favorable behalf, the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs (IIJ) Act” (https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684/text) stipulates on page 403 (of 946) Section 24220, the National Traffic Safety Administration to implement an automotive monitoring system on new automobiles produced three (3) years from the passing of the Act.
It’s title is “Advanced Impaired Driver Technology” and is to be implemented in two (2) stages.
First stage is a passive monitoring of the vehicle’s driver’s BAC (blood alcohol concentration) level. This information & data will be stored in the memory records of the automobile for use by any ‘official’ agency requiring it for conducting an ‘official’ function(s). Allow your imagination to become activated, here.
Second stage is addition of an active monitoring system which will take control from the driver if BAC exceeds federal or state level limits. The premise, here, is to limit or terminate the vehicles operation by a driver who’s under an influence. A signal – GPS & data – will be transmitted to law enforcement who will locate you and have capability of initiating an disabling action. If the vehicle is located & being driven by the suspect DUI operator, they can deactivate the vehicle’s operation by ‘killing’ the motivator (engine or motor).
Here’s what I was unable to decipher: how is the vehicle controlled, so as, to not engage in a wreck or injure people (including the driver & passengers)?
The Act could, in all reality, commence with new vehicles produced as-soon-as 2026.
The amount of funding for this effort falls within the allocated budget of $200.3 – 208.4 million.
I support keeping impaired drivers off public streets, highways & bi-ways and from operating any vehicle (when impaired) which could harm/injure another person(s).
I’m uncertain of my position on this effort, however.
In reviewing this IIJ Act, I discovered the exorbitant level of “graft” being directed to private organizations! AND towards things such as: wildlife crossings, constructing ferry boats, impact studies of road construction materials on eco-systems, production & installation of charging stations for EV’s, climate change impacts, supply chain research, et al.
As I wrote at the top of this, I was wrong…
“For somehow this is tyranny’s disease, to trust no friends.” – Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound
Next: How to paint potatoes to look like eggs for Easter, stay tuned!
Submitted by:
Gil Olachea
Ceramica, Scottsdale, AZ
