LAWYER: Cops Might Get a "Kill Switch"

Trouble is brewing with autonomous vehicles and the police. How do they stop a car that's driving itself? What if you're drunk and call an driverless Uber? Who's at fault if something goes wrong? Let's talk about it!
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[@saltycreole2673]

So cops disable the car in traffic with the "kill" switch causing a fatal traffic accident and successfully claims Qualified Immunity. Sounds about right.

[@Thyline]

This has been tried before where they used essentially an RC car to catch up to to a car and emit an EMP to kill the vehicle's control computer and basically turning the engine off. I believe the project got canceled, probably due to a lot of technical issues, but there may have been some legal issues as well.

[@Not_Ciel]

You really think they’d implant a kill switch that didn’t have some failsafe to come to a controlled stop and THEN kill switch?

[@QwoaX]

Maybe they need to be able to either hijack and remote-control it or send a signal (via bluetooth?) for the car to go into a traffic stop mode until it has been given a signal ending that mode.

[@Goro_Maj1ma]

​@@Not_Cielyes I do. The police are clowns.

[@saltycreole2673]

@@Not_Ciel YES! I DO! You must be that person that trusts government in all aspects. Poor you!

[@omegamkx588]

Putting in a kill switch seems like something criminals can and will abuse. Just imagine your car turns itself off and all of a sudden somebody with a gun shows up to rob you while you’re unable to escape because they’re the one who disabled it

[@davidwilliam9681]

Same thing as a cop.

[@JadeDragon407]

Wait until these cars start being figured out how to hack them, and criminals control them to chop shops (as Tesla parts are hugely overpriced/valuable), or people using that as a method to commit murder of a passenger, etc.

[@HorusDeathtouch]

​@@JadeDragon407 Or murder of a pedestrian.

[@mrmuffer69]

That is my biggest fear with these kill switches, you know it is only a matter of time before the bad guys figure out how to use it.

[@magusomega]

​@@davidwilliam9681 yep, a cop is just a criminal who figured out how to get away with it.... Mostly

[@Bombadil-ez9ns]

20 years ago, Tom Cruise was in a futuristic sci-fi movie called Minority Report. One brief scene had his car 'apprehending' him, pulling out of traffic, and heading towards a police facility. If we're not there yet, I think we will be in the near future.

[@Andrewflusche]

We still don't have computer interfaces like Minority Report, much to my disappointment!

[@35manning]

Unfortunately, I can see that happening. Take a autonomous vehicle, with all its cameras, operating as a taxi type service. It uses AI to capture good facial recognition photos of all passengers, references that against a list of wanted people and if it identifies someone as wanted by the police, it locks the doors and drives to the nearest police station whilst autonomously calling that police station so that officers can be waiting outside. That's a great way of getting criminals off the street. Assuming that it correctly identifies who are wanted criminals and that the system isn't abused or hacked in any way. I have yet to see ANY system that can't be abused or hacked.

[@BellBivDeveau]

Only if you let it

[@saltycreole2673]

@@BellBivDeveau Bingo!

[@saltycreole2673]

@@Andrewflusche Because criminals will indeed allow their cars to be "educated". Get real.

[@michaellopez4746]

I want one of those tinfoil hats.

[@adamkluckner3429]

I absolutely lost it at the "Tinfoil" hat 🤣🤣

[@kraggrobinson3387]

Andrew, I think your missing something here. What if someone summons a self driving car and trier name similar to someone who has a warrant . The car locks them in and takes them to the enclosed jail entrance.

[@Andrewflusche]

Whoa! Yep, that's an interest angle. That's why we'll need to provide a DNA sample to get into the car.

[@MontanaViking]

The good thing about living in Montana is that 10 years from now we’ll have more people riding horses than self-driving cars. 🙌

[@cyndiburns7932]

Imywith you. These cars are rediculous to even consider. Doesn't make sense.... Just more AI garbage, people giving up their human rights.

[@marionwallsten7507]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@angieobes9835]

Don't tell people this! 🤫

[@MontanaViking]

@@angieobes9835 the front page of our paper just had junior high students riding horses through McDonalds drive through. 😆

[@Andrewflusche]

I'm coming!! (I wish)

[@mamanoneyall51]

😂, tech support...your call is very important to us, please stay on the line, a representative will be you shortly...4hrs later Apu answers

[@ncdogg425]

Last month in Michigan a 10-year-old stole a 2017 Buick Encore. The pursuing police had OnStar disabled the vehicle to make it stop.

[@junknstuff8501]

Another issue with a "kill switch" is going to be able to get hacked.

[@thehappyclam3942]

If the car can't provide license, registration and insurance as well as pass a sobriety test it should be jailed until it can post bond

[@MorbidGod391]

So if they can provide license, registration and insurance but refused the voluntary sobriety test should they be able to kill it then?

[@TheMelnTeam]

Given the present normalization of criminal armed robbery by people wearing uniforms, please don't give the government ideas on new ways to steal property. "The money is guilty" is already a component of the "reasoning" (spits) used for taking cash from drivers during traffic stops. Person is never charged, no evidence is required. Cop says "I think this is drug money" and takes it, and person needs to sue to get it back, which costs more than what was stolen. Yes, stolen. That's literally how police operate right now. You think they'd show restraint stealing autonomous cars, when they already steal normal cars?

[@WaterGuyH2O]

@IRONMENSCH Music Official Oh yeah, I'd definitely love to live in an authoritarian police state where you are guilty until proven innocent.

[@guillermoelnino]

I say it's up to the pig to determine the car isn't registered and that it isn't insured.

[@itsnotme07]

This is a great subject/situation! I love the tech part...but to argue that someone who ordered a driverless car, that they are in control of it? I don't buy it. Unless they are messing with the actual controls, they are not in control. That said...a car with no one in it...getting pulled over. That's kinda funny. Sounds like Cruise has to fix that stuff and maybe have that vehicle become an instant priority for the person controlling it? No doubt that person back at Cruise Central has more than one car per shift to manage. But like any good air traffic controller, situations come up and sometimes you gotta focus on the BIG issue. That idiot riding in the back of his Tesla....why would they impound his car for a year? That makes no sense. Oh well...on to next Tuesday!

[@TheMelnTeam]

The law in some states penalizes people who are sitting in passenger or back seat with the vehicle off as "DUI". It's absolute idiocy, but it's how it's written *and* how it's enforced. Similarly, riding in an autonomous vehicle bypasses the risk of a drunk person operating a vehicle, but the law would still penalize it because "screw you for no reason" I guess.

[@Handle1969]

Maybe it’ll go like home owner’s insurance. Kid gets killed on your property, you still pay up. Gotta have homeowner’s insurance with an extra “autonomous rider”, er, ah, that is to say, rider.

[@mikep1085]

If the police get a kill switch for autonomous vehicles, you know it wont be long before they 'justify' needing that switch for ALL vehicles. Uh... NO! Bad idea!

[@leebuck180]

yes, give the car the ticket! i agree, why does auto driving and other computer enabled vehicles get a free pass!!

[@DragonTroopBeta1]

Love the vid as always, Andrew, but a little bit of a personal pet peeve. Could you blur out QR codes found in news footage?

[@Norm-R]

Lets not forget what Tesla's solution is to autonomous vehicles. If it finds itself in a situation where a collision is unavoidable, it releases control to the driver. So according to Tesla's model, autonomous vehicles can't kill people. It didn't have control at the time.

[@Tzizenorec]

Weird. Are they demanding that drivers stay constantly ready to drive at any moment? if they don't make that VERY clear, then I would interpret the car "releasing control to the driver" as the car just ceasing to make any particular decisions when a collision is unavoidable (sort of like what Stockfish does when it can't avoid being checkmated).

[@REXOB9]

Excellent video on this topic. I appreciate how you are covering emerging technology.

[@michaelclark587]

This is already law. It’s in the infrastructure law.

[@Diane-xh7vl]

In Georgia you just need to have your keys in the ignition and be sitting in the car "not running" and be charged with a DUI 😂

[@Andrewflusche]

Yep. Doesn't have to be running VA either. That's why I tell people if you want to sleep it off, sit in the back seat with no keys.

[@applejacks971]

In Nebraska, even if you make it home, are sitting IN your driveway, they will STILL tow your car to the impound. BS!!!!

[@HorusDeathtouch]

You need to separate yourself from your keys. You can either hide them inside the gas cap door then lock yourself in. You could also hide your keys in a good spot inside the vehicle, and if any officer asks you where your keys are you tell them you don't know and had a friend hide them for you. That probably would work too.

[@xamomax]

It seems any driverless car still needs some basic controls inside such as a couple of big buttons for "pull over as soon as safe", and "stop now", or something like that. Maybe also a basic E-Stop / Kill switch.

[@TheWhiteDragon3]

As impressed as I am with driverless technology, I always have been absolutely astonished how quickly they were let off the test tracks and onto public roads without any new legislation. It's why I have absolutely zero intention to get a vehicle with any self-driving/auto-pilot feature for the next 20 years.

[@TheMelnTeam]

The problem is that regardless of whether you are in one, many other vehicles will be these regardless. Thus we'd better get the tech right. In principle, a driver-less vehicle can be way better than human drivers. We'll probably see that in our lifetimes; driving is less complicated than many tasks that AI already beats top humans at doing, and is limited by the real-world information that can be conveyed to the AI operating the vehicle + some more training data. In practice, as humans tend to do, it's being rushed into service before it's at the "better than the best humans" level of performance. Though maybe that's still a net benefit...many human drivers are awful and routinely engage in dangerous behaviors (tailgating, texting, weaving lanes). Might not be long before it's "above average". As Andrew points out, the bigger risks come down to how it's legislated/policed + the continuing trend of not owning what you buy etc. I wonder how this is adopted at large. The best candidates for using driver-less vehicles would be the elderly who are no longer capable of driving themselves, but want the autonomy...but this group is likely to be terrified of the tech initially and most won't understand it. Thus I doubt they're the earliest adopters.

[@jeffwallace957]

The older I get the more I trust technology and the less I trust people who program it

[@RB-wt6pg]

This use of tech should be disbanded because of the potential for government abuse.

[@roadmonitoroz]

We have nothing to worry about. *"The police are always honest and never misuse their power"* :D

[@mixter7x7]

I'm equally concerned with these vehicles killing my family members and then - there is no liability, no accountability, and they - as you said - get a free pass.

[@domingodeanda233]

Damn, that was pretty damn good

[@albertptran]

1:53 best part lol

[@maxiewex1496]

Thanks!

[@Inpreesme]

Thank you

[@BillySBC]

Even if you're a driverless car, don't talk to the police.

[@TheFalconJetDriver]

I am member of DAM Drunks Against Mad Mother!🤪

[@joejones363]

I’ve seen videos of individuals (suspects?) being questioned by police. It’s usually someone who has been given his/her Miranda rights and did not ask for an attorney. I’d love to see what sort of interaction might occur with a lawyer present to represent the person being questioned. Love your videos! Thank you.

[@thadrepairsitall1278]

I'm just waiting for a vehicle to drive someone to a field where there are 3 guys with a shovel.

[@TheMasaoL]

What if the owner, while sober set a timed operation. Lets say at 1730, while sober, they park and program the car to depart at 2100 and head home. The car will depart at 2100 regardless if anyone is in the vehicle, potentially stranding the owner. At 2055 the owner climbs into the back of the car with a BAC of way to high to drive anywhere. The car then departs as scheduled. The operation of the vehicle's driving systems by the owner occurred while the owner was sober and they did not interact with the driving systems at all while inebriated. Is that a DUI?

[@Sondan1988]

One set of laws for Citizens and another set for Government/law enforcement.

[@klepow]

If the "good guys" have it, what's to stop the "bad guys" from having it? Perhaps even more than the police, this could be a boon to carjackers.

[@TheTransporter007]

If they put a kill switch in a car you can disconnect and cap the RF lines for the "connected features" antenna. For example in a new Subaru it is a small box underneath the head unit with green and yellow antenna cables coming out of it.

[@bruceli9094]

Imagine tweeting something mean against Killary Hinton and suddenly the car drives off the cliff. NO THANKS!!

[@cowman6t9]

This guy is 100% an alien, and I thank the him for his wisdom. 🙏

[@DemonicAkumi]

The only way I'll trust a self-driving car is if its name is Herbie.

[@LogicallyLost]

This is INSANE!!!!

[@ChadAfricaUnite]

When they don't want you to go anywhere they'll turn your car off. Sorry you go nowhere lol

[@cmleibenguth]

The IT crowd is a hilarious show

[@TeaInTheMorning-we2kh]

Welp, guess I'm walking everywhere when these become required

[@radioman3229]

They are already talking about requiring "kill switches" in ALL cars. More big brother control. As long as we do nothing big brother will happily keep taking more and more control of every aspect of our lives.

[@duncanthompson4038]

I'm on your side. I think that when the cops or emergency vehicles are signaling to stop there needs to be a system that will put a person in charge. Either on line or the passengers themselves must take control. The software will eventually get to the point that this will rarely happen. But it needs to be put through drivers education. Think of it as a teenager with a Learners permit.

[@michaelwood8071]

All we need to do is program the car to recognize a yield situation has become a traffic stop. So how do people recognize that? The car pulls over, stop, wait for the cop to pass. If it dosen’t pass them the computer goes into detainment mode. Ie, displays insurance and registration, Refuses to answer questions or submit to roadside sobriety tests. 😅

[@TheJimJonesKC5DOVChannel]

As long as I breathe, the government will never have a vehicle kill switch on my personal vehicles - the manufacturer can install one but I'm de-installing it when the car is registered in my name.

[@rayrous8229]

I'm a professional driver, and I certainly don't want one. But they do have a serious advantage. Accident statistics show they are better than the general public at not getting into accidents.

[@rafaelA9781]

Like the Total recall movie taxi

[@Linkolnverse]

Calling a driverless car to drive you home, is gonna be a huge and useful option. But if you are responsible even while not driving while drunk, it's pointless to do that.

[@gusplaer]

Morning

[@localtrailtrampjacklumber1889]

There is a device developed by a firefighter that plugs into the charging port disabling the vehicle

[@JadeDragon407]

If a driverless car doesn't pull over in under 20 seconds in Arkansas, it'll just get pit-maneuvered. This gives some wild considerations for vehicle-related law, and who it applies to when "nobody" is driving. Like all aspects of A.I., I see that all our laws are fixing to be way behind (moreso than they already are), and clever people will find ways of using "hands free" ways of committing crimes and loophole themselves away from it. Also, the deal with emergency vehicles is something I never considered with driverless cars, so something needs to be done there because if you had a fire, you wouldn't want some beer can of a car causing any delay with the fire truck. Soon enough, ambulances and fire trucks may come equipped with ram bars on the front like cop cars have in order to move any stubborn obstacles out of the way.

[@ericahl]

I feel like im living in an episode of Rod Stearlings The Twilight Zone.

[@RobouteGuilliman-M41]

What if the cop is just looking for someone to kill?

[@fire_tower]

This is a good idea until cops use a kill switch and the car stops on a railroad track.

[@KLondike5]

Wasn't that long ago they didn't have the sense to not park their cruiser on the tracks & left someone in the back.

[@eprofessio]

Our forefathers would throw up in their mouths if they saw how we treat each other over traffic laws.

[@waylander2]

I don't see any need for autonomous cars. Every car needs an operator behind the wheel.

[@probuilder961]

Solution: only allow auto-pilot to engage after failing the on board breathalyzer! Lesser of two evils?

[@st.george007]

Who would have thought abstract thinking might be involved with driving a car? What if a person is under the car with a broken back? First responder are going to contact support and block the wheels? How do we know tech support isn't having a drink?

[@hazcat640]

Glad I'm old.

[@StArFuRyZz]

I don't trust the car manufacturers to be able to make a self driving car and I definitely don't trust government/police to have ANY access to the control systems of my car.

[@Linkolnverse]

I won't ever buy a car that has a kill switch or I can't have 100% control over when I drive.

[@Thyline]

I kind of want to look at the technology angle from the abusive conduct of the cops. When are the police permitted to look up your licenses plates? In PA, law enforcement can (not saying their actions are legal before they tell you why they pulled you over) start to look up your plate information on their computers, they also have RFID tags in the inspection stickers, which they can scan just by driving by. Considering you have to provide a ton of info to renew your registration (plates), vehicle milage, and insurance policy number and addresses. From a technology perspective, they could start "investigating" you before you have been pulled over or presented any ID or other automobileinformation. What's your thoughts?

[@leebryton8613]

Thank you for explaining why 2026 new cars will have many of those features (can be turned off remotely).

[@Handle1969]

Don’t drink and drive. Sure! Don’t drink and ride? At least a driverless car.

[@pariscloud2907]

I think we should just stop it before it goes too far.

[@jeffwallace957]

Isaac Asimov had the three laws of robotics but apparently nobody else had the foresight to think all this through LOL

[@TrumpsTheAntichrist666]

They didn't? You are cattle sport.

[@twopairofkids]

Nice thing about secret kill switches. They’ll be secret for all of a month. Internet is great for making everything public.

[@felironmaden1429]

Whoa, can't drive drunk?!?! Andy do you realize most gas is at least 10% alcohol?

[@RyanK-100]

(1) It should be highly illegal (1 year in jail AND a hefty fine) for no one to be in the driver's seat of a moving vehicle. All passengers >16 go to jail. (2) "Tech support" might be operating the car, but that is not what is intended by the framers of the law. They would be akin to an emergency responder. (3) I don't know how regulators ever allowed this experiment in its infancy to be allowed on public roads. The car manufacturer seems to be liable for any damages and consequence of an autonomous car doing something that a reasonable human would not. Then again, who is actually behind the wheel? They should be able to override any autopilot and should be held accountable as if they were manually driving.

[@AD-xt9og]

If a driverless car does something dumb because of flashing lights of a emergency vehicle have it towed and issue a fix it ticket to the owner. Don't let it back on the road till the problem is fixed. I think the roads would be safer if all cars were self driving. The problem is the time they are mixed with human drivers.

[@kmfdmman]

The police will not need a system to kill the car. The plates should be tied to that car, once the plates get ran it will ID the car in the system and send ticket to the company running the car. As shown already they can take control of the car remotely and bring it safely to a stop.

[@BellBivDeveau]

“I don’t think we’ll have a choice.” You disappoint me Andrew. We all have a choice but some people may have to sacrifice their comfort for freedom.

[@MrNtesla3327]

I think MADD and police would be against driverless cars because it might take away their revenue from DUI's

[@slonon6410]

driving is a Privilege- remember that when the government tries to regulate your rights with laws, fees and taxes

[@sdmarlow3926]

No. If I order a pizza, I am not operating the vehicle that delivers it. People are not operating those little sidewalk carts that have trouble crossing the street. To operate MUST require a human-in-the-loop.

[@darthteck]

I would never ride in a driverless car.

[@jah0524]

I will never get in a driverless car. No.

[@glee21012]

So when the cops mag dump the car, the passenger dies, then because of Qualified Immunity, you can't sue them.

[@bradwatson7324]

FSD cars, once perfected and commonplace, should greatly reduce interactions with police. We might actually get back lost civil rights.

[@liamgio795]

If an officer wants me to get out of my car for his safety, or roll down my window for his safety, he’s gonna have to pay me compensation. I don’t follow orders for free unlike the officer, people in a constitutional republic have no perfect, an absolute obligation to protect the public or officers. without compensation, there’s no slavery in America, correct? Do you know that phrase innocent until proven guilty in a court of law? Gee, I wonder if that applies to administrative law traffic courts?

[@Diane-xh7vl]

I cant help but laugh 😂🤣 at this but to be honest i see some serious shit going on and it doesn't look good 🤔

[@witolddupa]

Don't call me Shirley

[@Stevesguitartraveling777]

Remember the matrix? It’s slowly becoming a reality and it’s really scary.

[@jamesvalenti9288]

Yeah they can take my gas powered analog car from my cold dead hands.

[@kevinmiller5467]

2:30 how about an E-stop button?

[@Sweetestsadist]

This is why you don't buy a car model later than, say, 2015 unless you know somebody who can gut out the technology. This is an excuse to give them power to shut down (driverful?) cars.

[@itsdonewith]

Maybe police forces should control themselves first, before thinking about controlling vehicles.

[@MidNightRider2001]

"Folks I hate to spoil your fun, but there's no such thing as rights. They're imaginary. We made 'em up. Like the boogie man: 3 Little Pigs, Pinocchio, Mother Goose, sh t like that. Rights are an idea. They're just imaginary. They're a cute idea...Cute & fictional." #GeorgeCarlin

[@srdool]

Money will determine all of these decisions so don't worry at all .

[@thomaswalsh5097]

Sky net begins to learn rapidly and eventually becomes self aware at 2:14am EDT on August 29……..July saying.

[@olskool3967]

LOL!! i think it so stupid! i will drive me thank you!

[@Richardrefund]

Andrew, question, after reading this statute: “§46.2-101. Applicability of title to vehicles on certain toll roads and parking facilities. This title shall apply to any vehicle and any person operating or owning a vehicle operated on any toll facility controlled by the Department of Transportation or any political subdivision of the Commonwealth. This title shall also apply to any vehicle and any person operating or owning a vehicle operated on or in parking lots, parking garages, or other parking facilities owned, controlled, or leased by the Commonwealth or any of its agencies, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions.” Unless I’m doing these specific things, at these specific places, the entire Title §46.2 is not applicable?

[@AJ-ib4oy]

I don’t think anyone has a right to drive and that right can be taken away. I suppose the alternative to a kill switch in self-driving cars that don’t function correctly is to “ground” the fleet, like an airplane that is grounded because it’s unsafe. No one gets to drive a “grounded” car until the company can actually make it work right. This may sound extreme. But I deserve to have safe roads to drive on. I deserve to be able to go to my family at the end of the day instead of getting killed by a driverless car.

[@PapaTanGh0stNI9htM4R3S0nMaInSt]

LoL Chocks away.

[@applejacks971]

LOL! That little electric toaster car drove away after getting pulled over! It be like "Nope, I'm out" lol!!! This self driving vehicle stuff is absolutely UNNECESSARY!!! There's no purpose, reason, or need for it! STOP with all this AI crap!!!!

[@k.givens788]

Why do you need my I.D.? I’m just a passenger. You need to ticket the car. It was fleeing not me.

[@arat2376]

Yea no lets not give the enemy an assass1n switch

[@anthonyle1838]

I disagree it is only in purpose when a passenger is using this steering wheel is when that count as operating the term is not as vague as being in the car or simply being a passenger it is when passenger or driver interact with the wheel

[@anthonyle1838]

As shown in the video when he touched the wheel with his foot

[@Ralyx0]

But... how would such a "kill switch" work in practice? Would they have a device they point at the car? That's expensive, and what if there are other driverless cars around them? Do they radio the license plate into dispatch? Hope you're ready for a bunch of accidents and lawsuits when the wrong vehicles suddenly stop dead for no reason.