cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1247209/all-cars-sold-in-the-eu-now-require-a-camera-aimed-at-your-face-its-still-not-clear-wher
Starting July 7, 2026, every new car sold in the European Union must include a driver monitoring camera aimed at your face. Glance at your phone, your kids in the back seat, or the radio for too long, and the car will flash a warning light and sound an alert.
Automakers have known this was coming for years. What they, and EU regulators, have never spelled out is what happens to that footage after the alert goes off.
While the intention behind the new system is difficult to dispute, its implementation has raised several concerns. Early real-world testing suggests the distraction warnings can be overly sensitive and potentially distracting.
Or disconnect it? What happens when it no longer functions? Will I need to fix this to get my car to run again?
I bet the system would sound an alarm if you did that.
I’m willing to bet there’s an ignition interlock that would keep the car from starting if the camera is disabled.
Alcohol detection interlocks in all cars would actually be useful. These cameras effectively do the same thing.
That would be possible but unlikely. If the system fails then the driver can’t use their car. What if they’re an emergency? That wouldn’t pass.
There’s already legislation in the US to implement such a kill switch based on if the camera says the driver is drowsy or drunk. Considering the uniformity with which totalitarianism seems to be spreading, I assume something similar isn’t out of the question.
Just wait until it gets integrated into that database ICE is using that can tell them who is a citizen and who isn’t, just by looking. Then it will shut the car off if the driver looks drowsy, drunk, or the wrong shade of brown.
Unplug the alarm speakers.
This is where I’m at with shit like this. I’m just gonna keep disconnecting everything that annoys me. Including my brakes.
There’s probably a fuse for the system. Unless it’s integrated in the whole media system.
It’s a safety system, so it’s unlikely to handled by the media unit, which honestly just makes it harder.