In what appears to be the first time the United States has taken legislative steps on the issue, California has passed a proposal that would require automakers selling internet-connected cars to do more to protect victims and survivors of domestic violence, Reuters reports.
The proposal sailed through the California legislature late last month with overwhelming support. California Governor Gavin Newsom now has until September 30 to decide whether to sign the proposal into law. Gov. Gavin Newsom and automakers such as Tesla were involved in negotiating the terms of the proposal, said Sen. Dave Min, one of the authors of the proposal and a California state senator.
Incidents of stalking and harassment using features such as location tracking and remote control have begun to crop up as automakers add increasingly sophisticated technology to their vehicles.
Legislative analysts have cited reports from Reuters and the New York Times to convey the importance of getting the proposal legislated. These reports claimed that some automakers had failed to help women who claimed they were being stalked by their partners. One of those women had filed a lawsuit against Tesla, alleging that Tesla did nothing after she repeatedly complained that her husband violated a restraining order and used the company’s technology to stalk and harass her.
The new proposal would require automakers to set up a clear process for drivers to submit a copy of a restraining order or other document within two business days to terminate another driver’s remote access privileges. The proposal also states that automakers must make it easy for drivers to turn off location access privileges from inside the vehicle.
On Sept. 9, Gavin Newsom’s deputy communications director Tara Gallegos said in an email that the proposal would be “evaluated on its merits.” Tesla has not yet submitted any public letters of support or opposition to the motion, nor has it responded to requests for comment.