According to Reuters, rumors surfaced in November claiming that California had "just passed" a new law requiring passive speed limiter systems in new cars. The law allegedly mandated that by 2029, half of all new cars manufactured or sold in California must be equipped with passive speed limiters, with all new cars meeting this requirement by 2032.
The proposed legislation also stated that, starting with the 2030 model year, vehicles would not be allowed to exceed the speed limit by more than 10 mph. If they did, the speed limiter system would alert drivers with a brief one-time visual and audio signal. However, certain vehicles, such as emergency vehicles, mopeds, motorcycles, and trucks, were exempt from this requirement.
Nevertheless, a spokesperson for the California Department of Transportation denied these rumors in an email. The spokesperson clarified that the bill, which initially passed the California Assembly and Senate on May 21 and was sent to Governor Gavin Newsom for approval, was vetoed by Newsom on September 28.
Addressing concerns about the bill's implications, the spokesperson added that the legislation would have mandated the installation of a passive intelligent speed assistance system in vehicles but would not control any vehicle operations.
In his September 28 statement, Governor Gavin Newsom explained that federal law, enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), already governs vehicle safety standards. Introducing additional California-specific requirements would undermine this long-standing federal regulatory framework.
