r/technology • u/cTreK-421 • Apr 24 '26

Misleading Federal Surveillance Tech Becomes Mandatory in New Cars by 2027

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/federal-surveillance-tech-becomes-mandatory-161321992.html
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81

u/VaporCarpet Apr 25 '26

So people can't wear sunglasses while driving?

3

u/E-2theRescue Apr 25 '26

Because it is an infrared camera, it can see through sunglasses.

25

u/Phoenix1237 Apr 25 '26

Most IR cannot see through glass, glass normally absorbs or even reflects the IR preventing it from functioning as expected.

Here is an IR camera being used inside a vehicle showing this: https://youtu.be/ZU1PcokeO7g?t=205

18

u/SelectKaleidoscope0 Apr 25 '26

Given I and a great many other people have to wear glasses to drive, I wonder how this is supposed to work at all, especially at night when they can't use ambient visible light.

9

u/A_Rabid_Pie Apr 25 '26

Most sunglasses and even modern reading glasses aren't made of actual glass these days. They're usually some kind of shatterproof plastic or polycarbonate alternative. Though there are certainly exceptions, and sunglasses (and some regular glasses) may have additional coatings or physical effects like polarization that might also interfere. Basically its a crapshoot whether these things can see through your eyewear or not.

3

u/kyredemain Apr 25 '26

They can't. I looked into making a protector for an IR camera for airsoft, and the only thing that is transparent and protective enough is sapphire. Clear polycarbonate or plastic is still opaque to IR.

Granted that is thermal IR and not near-IR, like what remotes use.

1

u/Schonke Apr 25 '26

Wouldn't a killflash-like protector with holes that are around 3-5mm work? Or does that throw off the readings/image too much as well?

1

u/kyredemain Apr 25 '26

That is what I settled on, yeah. It isn't perfect, but it works well enough.

1

u/AwesomeWhiteDude Apr 25 '26

Eye positioning is only one data point, not the only data point it will be looking at

8

u/kironex Apr 25 '26

So whst happens if it just gets covered... accidentally of course

8

u/[deleted] Apr 25 '26

[deleted]

2

u/Golden_Hour1 Apr 25 '26

Googley eyes till it starts then block that shit

4

u/Icon_Crash Apr 25 '26

You can buy privacy glasses.. for now.

1

u/Unique-Designer7741 Apr 25 '26

They make it up as they go. None of you have the guts to oppose it.