New cars come with driver monitoring cameras: safety or nuisance?

New cars come with a camera that watches you and won't stop beeping

Over the past few months, new cars have been arriving with a antiestéticature that divides opinion: a driver monitoring camera. It's not a parking or assistance camera, but a driver monitoring system (DMS) that scans the face and posture of the person behind the wheel. If it detects distraction, fatigue or a bad position, the car warns you with messages like "Distraction detected" or "Sit up", or, worse, it penalizes you outright.

The experience was shared by a driver who picked up his Toyota in March. According to his account, the system beeps at everything. It's not that there are actual abusa, but that the car interprets any movement as a potential risk. "It feels less like driving a car and more like playing a pinball machine," he sums up. And the most surreal warning: "Sit up", as if you could drive standing up. The feeling of constant surveillance has led some drivers to wonder whether they can cover the camera or trick it.

What happens if you cover the camera?

Early reports suggest that covering the sensor triggers a warning message and, in some models, may prevent the engine from starting. It's not a viable option if you want to use the car normally. Others have tried placing a photo of the driver in front of it, but modern systems detect the lack of depth and interpret it as an attempt to cheat. Far from being an assistant, the technology has become an uncomfortable controller.

Safety control or intrusion?

The debate is on. On one hand, European regulations are pushing for these systems to reduce fatigue-related accidents. On the other, drivers feel watched and, in many cases, annoyed by false positives. The balance between safety and privacy is still unclear, and in the meantime, new cars will keep beeping every time you glance at your phone or shift in your seat.

Given this situation, the question that remains is whether the constant warnings are worth it in exchange for a possible reduction in accidents. Those who already suffer them have a clear answer.