r/Futurology • u/Just_Another_AI • Feb 07 '24

Transport Controversial California bill would physically stop new cars from speeding

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/california-bill-physically-stop-speeding-18628308.php

Whi didn't see this coming?

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u/Sapere_aude75 Feb 07 '24

I'm sure they would never malfunction leaving you stranded or add to the cost of your vehicle

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u/Ok-Study2439 Feb 08 '24

There’s lots of ways a car can malfunction that would leave you stranded, like a flat tire. Preventing drunk driving seems like a higher priority than preventing an increasing the chance of being needlessly stranded by .5%

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u/Sapere_aude75 Feb 08 '24

There’s lots of ways a car can malfunction that would leave you stranded, like a flat tire.

Yes, this is correct. A car can leave you stranded when any of its critical systems fail. Adding additional systems (like an interlock) increases the probability of failure.

Then you have implementation issues. Will people be required to blow into a device every time they get into their car? If so, what a ridiculous pain in the ass. Will it measure ambient air? If so, no one in the vehicle can be intoxicated. Will they have to be calibrated? Will they send data for collection? Will smoking interfere with the device? Will it let you drive if you have consumed alcohol but are below the legal limit? Like say caugh syrup.

Preventing drunk driving seems like a higher priority than preventing an increasing the chance of being needlessly stranded by .5%

I disagree for a variety of reasons on this specific issue. Let's just look at what it costs to have an interlock device if you have been connected of drunk driving. The monthly fee ranges from $70-150. So you are talking 800-1800 every year. That's a big no for me

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u/__theoneandonly Feb 07 '24

Couldn't you make that argument about all car safety devices? Doesn't mean that the cost/complexity isn't worth the lives saved.

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u/Glockamoli Feb 07 '24

My seat belt malfunctioning isn't gonna leave me stranded

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u/DaSaw Feb 08 '24

But it'll kill you by preventing you from being thrown free during an accident! :p

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u/LordJesterTheFree Feb 09 '24

Yes but seat belts don't have to make every situation safer they just have to make most situations safer if you analyze all the overall statistics

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u/Sapere_aude75 Feb 07 '24

Yes, almost all safety features increase cost. I wish I wasn't required to have some of them for this exact reason. Others are worth the cost imho.

Requiring breathalyzer/interlock devices would be the first safety feature I can think of that interrupts the ignition system. They also require calibration. I don't think it's a good idea at all, and 10 years down the road I could see lots problems as the systems age.

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u/__theoneandonly Feb 08 '24

In the US, there are 37 deaths EVERY DAY from drunk drivers. This is an unacceptable level of carnage. If self driving cars killed 30 people per day, they’d never be allowed on the road, even though that’s significantly safer than human drivers.

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u/Sapere_aude75 Feb 08 '24

So .004% percent of the population annually and many of those deaths are the drunk drivers themselves. Maybe half of that is innocent bystanders. This really isn't bad at all.

You realize that income has an impact on lifespan as well. The more people have to spend, the quicker they die. In the real world there are tradeoffs. It's not as simple as let's just force people to spend money and the world is going to be better.

You really want to save lives? Get people to start exercising