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.
There’s a very tight turn on a barely two lane (the Irish might call it two lanes but it’s narrow) with guardrails as the shoulder and mu wife’s outback wants to lock the brakes up on us so badly. It’s done it several times and we have to actively take the corner wide (good line of sight luckily) to not get face fucked by dashboard/steering wheel now.
I drive a 2018 wrx and the dealer wanted to upgrade the “radio” in my car because there was a bulletin for it. They meant cell radio. Luckily these are a couple of lifelong friends and told me exactly what to unplug when i got home. Most cars now it’s a heart plug so yank it and you’re fucked.