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Newsom will veto a bill that would require speed limit warning systems in new cars

Newsom will veto a bill that would require speed limit warning systems in new cars

Traffic jam in Orange County, California. On the 405 freeway

The vetoed bill would require vehicles to be equipped with a warning system for drivers exceeding the speed limit. (Maureen Sullivan / Moment Editorial / Getty Images)

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have required new vehicles sold in California to be equipped with a warning system that warns drivers when they go 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.

Newsom announced his decision to reject the bill on Saturday, writing in: message for legislators that while it appreciates the intention to improve road safety, the legislation “poses several challenges”.

The bill would require that, starting with 2030 models, every new car, truck or bus sold or leased in the state must be equipped with a so-called “passive intelligent speed assist system.” The system will warn drivers with an audible and visual signal whenever they exceed the speed limit by 10 miles per hour.

The European Union already requires such systems in new vehicles.

Read more:Bill designed to warn drivers about speeding goes to Newsom

Newsom said federal law “already governs vehicle safety standards, and adding California-specific requirements would create a patchwork of regulations that undermines this long-standing federal framework.” He noted that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently evaluating speed assist systems.

The governor said that “imposing state-level mandates now risks disrupting ongoing federal assessments.”

The legislation, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would be the first of its kind in the nation. Supporters say the bill aims to significantly reduce traffic deaths and injuries caused by speeding drivers.

During a recent hearing, Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) said that more than 4,000 Californians die in traffic crashes each year, “and speeding is the leading cause of one-third of those fatalities.”

Opponents of the bill included Republican lawmakers who argued the legislation would limit citizens’ freedom and said the technology could distract drivers and create problems.

Times staff writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.