Bill in New York State Senate would require new cars to have speed-limiting tech

A New York state senator has proposed legislation that would require automakers to fit speed limiting tech to new cars. If the bill passes, any passenger vehicle built after January 1st, 2024 that's registered in the state will need to have "advanced safety technology."

"Studies have shown that Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) alone can reduce traffic fatalities by 20 percent," reads the legislation, which was submitted by State Sen. Brad Hoylman. "This, in addition to Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB), Emergency Lane Keeping Systems (ELKS), drowsiness and distraction recognition technology and rear-view cameras, would help prevent crashes from occurring in the first place."

The bill notes that there were 270 traffic-related deaths in New York City's streets in 2021, up from 243 the previous year. NYC is now testing an ISA system in 50 city fleet vehicles.

As Autoblog points out, ISA tech is widely used in Europe. Ford's version lets drivers set a maximum speed. It can also limit the speed to within five miles per hour of a posted limit. However, the tech is optional and drivers can disable it. All new cars in the European Union will need to have ISA tech by 2024.

The NY bill also seeks to bring in new rules for vehicles weighing over 3,000 pounds. It would "limit blind spots and establish standards regarding direct visibility of pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users from the driver's position, by reducing to the greatest possible extent the blind spots in front and to the side of the driver."

Should Hoylman's legislation pass, it could have a broader impact across the US. With automakers having to contend with regulations across 50 states, they often tend to abide by the strictest rule to avoid having to adjust their vehicles for different jurisdictions. We've seen that happen with emissions, with manufacturers opting to abide by California's strict standards across the US.