Is Your New Car Watching You?

Why does a new car beep when you look at your phone? Since 7 July 2026, every new car registered in the EU must have a driver distraction warning: a small infrared camera that watches your eyes. Here's how it really works: - A camera behind the steering wheel lights your face with infrared light you can't see, so it works day and night - It finds the bright reflection on each eye and compares it with your pupil to work out where you're looking - The car is split into zones: the windscreen is fine, the dashboard, centre screen and gearstick are the danger zone - Above about 30 mph you get 3.5 seconds in that zone (about 6 in town), then a light and a beep or a seat buzz - Even changing the music on the car's own touchscreen counts - By law it can't keep or share what it sees, and it isn't allowed to recognise who you are At 70 mph, 3.5 seconds is about 100 metres driven without looking. Next time your car beeps at you, you'll know why. Follow Binaryhood for more on how the tech you use every day actually works. #CarTech #DriverMonitoring #Shorts #cars #tech