Beyond the “kill switch”: How modern vehicles are already tracking drivers

By Maria Orms | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Many people are talking about the “car surveillance” provision in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which directs regulators to develop technology that can monitor driver impairment—such as passively detecting blood alcohol levels. This has led to claims about a government “kill switch.” But what’s less widely discussed is that forms of remote connectivity and control have already been built into vehicles for over a decade.

Since the 2010s, automakers have steadily integrated cellular connectivity—first 3G, then 4G LTE, and now 5G—into modern vehicles. Systems like OnStar and similar platforms allow cars to communicate with external networks. These connections enable features like emergency assistance, navigation updates, remote diagnostics, and app-based controls. They also make it possible to collect and transmit significant amounts of vehicle and user data.

Investigations, including the Los Angeles Times series “Wiretaps on Wheels”, have highlighted how extensive that data collection can be. Reported categories include location history, driving behavior, and personal information linked through apps and services. In some cases, the reporting describes how companies may infer characteristics such as preferences, habits, or behavioral patterns based on that data.

This growing data ecosystem has raised legal and regulatory concerns. In states like Illinois, lawsuits have been filed under strict biometric privacy laws, while other states have pursued cases over how driving data is shared with third parties, including insurers. As vehicles become more connected, the central debate is shifting toward transparency, consent, and who ultimately controls the data generated by drivers.

This latest “kill switch” provision is often framed as a safety measure, but it also raises broader concerns about oversight and limits. At issue is whether such systems could expand the government’s ability to monitor driver behavior, access vehicle data, or potentially restrict vehicle operation—and what safeguards are in place to ensure those powers are not used without proper legal authorization or due process.

As vehicles become more connected and capable, the line between safety innovation and surveillance grows harder to define. The real question isn’t just what this technology can do, but who controls it, how it’s used, and what protections exist for the people behind the wheel. Without clear limits, transparency, and accountability, systems designed for safety could gradually expand into something far more intrusive—making it essential to address these concerns before they become embedded as the new normal.

Maria Orms is a U.S. Air-Force veteran with a M.S. in Engineering from the University of Colorado – Boulder and an M.S. in Cybersecurity from the University of Denver and has worked in technology for almost 40 years with her CISSP, CCNA and SANS GIAC Forensic Network Analyst Certifications. She has a consulting company, Cybersecurity Inside Out, where she consults with clients on how to ensure the protection of their personal data in the digital world, provides annual cybersecurity training to small businesses and provides privacy phones to clients that understand and value the need for privacy in our digital world.

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.