California bill would require cars have ‘speed limiter’ technology to prevent topping speed limit by over 10 mph

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- A new California bill would require certain vehicles sold or manufactured in the state to be equipped with speed limiter technology.

California Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) introduced the new bill, officially known as SB 961, as part of the SAFER California Streets legislation package. The package aims to reduce traffic deaths and injuries statewide.

SB 961 would require “every passenger vehicle, motortruck, and bus manufactured or sold in the state” to be equipped with speed limiter technology, starting with the 2027 model year.

The technology would “electronically limit the speed of the vehicle to prevent the driver from exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour,” according to the bill’s text.

Authorized emergency vehicles would be exempt from this rule. Non-emergency vehicles could be exempt from the rule if the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol authorized the technology to be disabled based on specified criteria.

The bill text also says that drivers will be temporarily able to override the technology.

“This speed-limiting technology already exists. The European Union is moving in this direction & the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended adopting the requirement nationally,” Wiener posted on X, formally Twitter.