Watch The Road

When I took car driving classes way back in high school I was told to not drive distracted, in other words keep my eyes on the road. Mind you, this was way before the era of cell phones and texting so even then accidents happened when the driver’s attention was not fully on driving the car. Now, we can have multiple flat screens and an earpiece listening to podcasts or the like vying for our concentration. The advice I was given way back then makes more sense now than it did then when only a radio or a passenger were my only distractions. But now we have cars that can drive themselves who have only one job and that is to drive the vehicle and it can’t be bothered by us mere humans. I have to admit when I rented one of these cars that did the driving for me I was impressed and freaked out all at the same time. Even now I don’t fully trust them, but I grew up watching movies where Artificial Intelligence (AI) took over the world so cut me some slack. But there is another danger these so-called smart cars pose and to be honest, we should have seen it coming. Because now, these vehicles see us coming and going without us even knowing it. But it gets way worse than that.

Surveillance Machines

I kept being pushed reels that warned of newer cars having the ability to monitor drivers and I did notice them, but with my old but trusty 2008 car I had no reason to fear. I still don’t, but it’s not like I’m not concerned about the trend. In an article from Prophecy News Watch they more than sounded the alarm:

There was a time when getting behind the wheel meant freedom. The open road symbolized independence, privacy, and the simple ability to go where you wanted--without being watched. Today, that vision is quietly fading. In its place, a new reality is emerging: one where your car is no longer just a machine, but a data-collecting, behavior-monitoring, algorithm-driven observer. And increasingly, it may not just watch you--it may decide what you're allowed to do.

Is this a precursor to Skynet? Not yet, but Big Brother is more than over our shoulders:

Recent reporting and federal policy developments tied to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act reveal a growing push to embed advanced driver-monitoring systems into every new vehicle. Section 24220 of the law mandates the development of "advanced impaired driving technology," designed to passively monitor drivers and prevent operation if impairment is detected.

Because nothing ever goes wrong with government involvement in our lives, right? Read on:

On the surface, the goal sounds noble: reduce drunk driving deaths and improve road safety. But beneath that goal lies a far more complex--and unsettling--shift in how much of our personal lives are being tracked, analyzed, and potentially controlled.

AI Is Our Friend

Repeat after me: AI is my friend. Now really mean it. Ok, seriously the issue is AI afterall:

At the heart of this transformation is artificial intelligence. Modern vehicles are increasingly equipped with inward-facing cameras, biometric sensors, and software capable of tracking eye movement, facial expressions, and even subtle behavioral patterns. These systems can determine whether you're distracted, tired, or possibly impaired. Some proposals even include technology capable of detecting alcohol levels beneath the skin without requiring a breathalyzer. Supporters argue this is a technological breakthrough. Human error, after all, is responsible for the vast majority of accidents. If AI can step in and prevent tragedy, why wouldn't we embrace it? But that argument assumes a level of trust that many Americans are no longer willing to give. Because once your car is watching your face, tracking your movements, and analyzing your behavior, a critical question emerges: where does all that data go?

And now it gets to be more like 1984 and Orwellian Big Brother tactics. That’s not down the road either:

This isn't hypothetical. Companies like Tesla and General Motors already collect vast amounts of vehicle data, from driving habits to location history. Insurance companies are increasingly offering--or pressuring drivers into--usage-based programs that monitor speed, braking, and time of travel. Drive too fast? Your premium goes up. Brake too hard? That's another mark against you. Now imagine that system expanded--and mandated. Your car could track how fast you drive, how often you accelerate aggressively, how alert you appear, even how long your eyes drift from the road. It could log every trip you take, every stop you make, and every mile you drive. That data could be shared with insurers, manufacturers, or even government agencies, all under the banner of "safety" or "efficiency."

Getting Paranoid Yet?

We’re not even getting started:

And it doesn't stop there. Several states have already explored or implemented "mileage-based taxation"--a system that charges drivers per mile instead of per gallon of gas. On paper, it's a response to declining gas tax revenues as electric vehicles become more common. In practice, it requires one thing: constant tracking of your vehicle's location and movement.

Just so you know Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, and Virginia already do this. In all four, these are generally limited or optional programs, not a universal mileage tax on all cars statewide as of the latest NCSL update. There’s one important nuance: Hawaii is scheduled to make its road-usage-charge program mandatory starting July 1, 2028, for affected vehicles, while the others are currently voluntary/targeted. It’s here now. While that trend is troubling, it’s what could happen next that should cause us to sound alarms:

The implications are enormous. A system designed to tax mileage could easily evolve into one that enforces driving limits, restricts travel in certain areas, or penalizes behavior deemed undesirable. Combine that with AI-driven monitoring, and your car begins to look less like personal property--and more like a regulated node in a larger surveillance network. Even more concerning is the issue of control. The language in the federal mandate doesn't just call for monitoring--it calls for intervention. If a system determines that a driver is impaired, it may "prevent or limit motor vehicle operation." That means your car could decide, in real time, whether you are allowed to drive.

When AI Makes The Decisions

We all know that AI is programmed by people, but what if AI doesn’t get it right? Yes, it can:

What happens when the system is wrong? Artificial intelligence is not infallible. False positives are a documented issue across AI systems, from facial recognition to behavioral analysis. A camera misreads your expression. A sensor misinterprets fatigue. An algorithm flags you incorrectly. In a high-speed environment, even a momentary misjudgment could have serious consequences. Yet under these emerging systems, the machine's judgment may override your own. This is where the debate moves beyond safety and into something deeper: autonomy.

As the article started, driving was a symbol of being in charge, a sign of personal freedom, but that is changing and not for the better:

For generations, driving has been an expression of personal responsibility. You were accountable for your actions behind the wheel. Now, that responsibility is slowly being transferred to algorithms--systems designed, trained, and controlled by entities far removed from the individual driver. And history offers a clear warning: once surveillance infrastructure is built, it rarely remains limited to its original purpose.

Lost Privacy

Now we look at the data gathering part of the conundrum:

Data collected for safety can be repurposed for enforcement. Systems designed for assistance can evolve into tools of control. What begins as a well-intentioned effort to reduce accidents can gradually reshape the relationship between citizens, corporations, and the state. None of this means safety doesn't matter. It does. Reducing drunk driving and saving lives is a goal everyone can support. But the method matters just as much as the outcome.

And we all know what happens when we give up freedom for safety:

Because when privacy is sacrificed in the name of security, it is rarely returned.

Bingo! So, what are we to do? The article frames the options this way:

The question Americans must now grapple with is not whether technology can make driving safer--it can. The real question is whether we are willing to trade away our independence, our data, and ultimately our control, for that promise. Once your car is watching you, tracking you, and deciding for you... are you still the one in the driver's seat?

Now that’s a huge rhetorical question isn’t it. Does this fit in with Bible prophecy? You betcha. As we see in Revelation 13:16-17 there will rise a one world government and a leader who will put in place a surveillance system unlike any other. Those verses only mention buying and selling but this technology will already exist which will only make things easier for it to be enforced. Technology is already in place to monitor our every move right now. Feel better? Probably not…