The manufacturer will scale back new technology.

DRIVER MONITORING BACKLASH

Dystopian technology that watches motorists as they drive along will be “toned down” by a popular car manufacturer after backlash from critics and customers.

Mitsubishi has revealed it will tweak its overly sensitive ‘driver monitoring system’ (DMS) in its new Triton ute, after copping a barrage of criticism about the controversial feature.

The technology is designed to ‘keep drivers focused on the road ahead’, ‘watching for safety’, but in reality, it behaves like an overbearing back-seat driver.

The feature, as present, is so sensitive that an alarm sounds if a driver so much as takes a quick sip of coffee, or glances at the steering wheel buttons for a few seconds.

In other words, a digital Nanny State authority figure is in your car at all times, nit-picking every ‘unsafe’ move that is made by the driver.

Sipping a coffee, laughing and checking your blind spot – something quite essential to safe driving – all set off the system. And people have had enough.

There are mixed reviews about the technology. Some motorists support the idea and others have lashed out, stating it’s more of a “distraction” than a safety feature.

“Keep eyes on road’ says the flashing message that isn’t on the road. F —ing stupid idea,” said one reader John.

Mitsubishi CEO Shaun Westcott said the calibration of DMS required a “fine balance” whilst adhering to strict ANCAP safety protocols.

“We’re confident the updated software further enhances the drive, while remaining five-star ANCAP safe,” he said.

The update aims ‘to reduce the system’s sensitivity to natural movements and raise the activation speed threshold’. It will be installed during customers’ next scheduled service.

And this issue isn’t unique to Mitsubishi.

Many new cars now come equipped with driver monitoring systems that, while designed to enhance safety, more times than often become more of an annoyance.

Despite the abundance of negative reviews, the technology will be mandatory in every vehicle sold in Europe from 2026.

Whilst it’s not mandatory in Australia, many car brands will be adopting it to achieve a five-star car safety rating, meaning that the trickle-down effect will reach our shores eventually.

MANDATORY CAR SURVEILLANCE

If you are not a fan of this technology, the message is simple: You better get used to it.

All major manufacturers, including General Motors, are collecting driving data from their vehicles – such as how heavily you brake and the speeds at which you drive – and selling that to insurers.

Cars with internet-connected features are fast becoming “privacy nightmare on wheels”, according to US-based research conducted by the Mozilla Foundation.

One prominent example is when Tesla employees, just last year, had access to vision captured by cameras attached to their cars and shared compromising videos with each other via private messages – including one of a man approaching his car completely naked.

Now, The EU has ruled that all new cars sold beyond July 2024 must be equipped with ‘Event Data Recorders’, following an update of the UN’s World Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations (WHVR).

You’re under constant surveillance wherever you go now. An hour in the car is the only time some of us have – without phones or cameras or nagging people – to be alone with our thoughts.

Now, they’re trying to take that away from us, too.

A mass surveillance state both inside and outside of your car, for your ‘safety’ of course.

Right before the autonomous vehicle ‘driverless revolution’ takes over.

But at least some people are starting to get fed up with all of this. But is it already too late?

Have you encountered this type of new-age surveillance technology?

Let us know your thoughts on all of this in the comment section below!

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