New cars in US could beep at drivers when they speed
FILE - Numerous cars drive on the A3 freeway during the Whitsun weekend. (Photo by Thomas Banneyer/picture alliance via Getty Images)
A bill in California could require new cars sold in the state to beep at drivers when they exceed the speed limit by at least 10 mph.
The federal government sets safety standards for vehicles nationwide, which is why most cars now beep at drivers if their seat belt isn't fastened.
The California Senate on Tuesday passed the bill that would add a similar beep for speeding in new cars by 2032.
The technology uses GPS to compare a vehicle’s speed with a dataset of posted speed limits.
The bill now heads to the state Assembly for consideration.
RELATED: Self-driving cars could lead to a fourth, white traffic signal — or no signals at all
If passed, the proposal is likely to impact all new car sales in the U.S. That's because California's auto market is so large most car makers would likely make all of their vehicles comply with the law.
California often throws its weight around to influence national — and international — policy.
California has set its own emission standards for cars for decades, rules that more than a dozen other states have also adopted. And when California announced it would eventually ban the sale of new gas-powered cars, major automakers soon followed with their own announcement to phase out fossil-fuel vehicles.
The technology, known as intelligent speed assistance, is not new and has been used in Europe for years.
Starting later this year, the European Union will require all new cars sold there to have the technology — although drivers would be able to turn it off.
This story was reported from Detroit. The Associated Press contributed.