cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1247209/all-cars-sold-in-the-eu-now-require-a-camera-aimed-at-your-face-its-still-not-clear-wher
Starting July 7, 2026, every new car sold in the European Union must include a driver monitoring camera aimed at your face. Glance at your phone, your kids in the back seat, or the radio for too long, and the car will flash a warning light and sound an alert.
Automakers have known this was coming for years. What they, and EU regulators, have never spelled out is what happens to that footage after the alert goes off.
While the intention behind the new system is difficult to dispute, its implementation has raised several concerns. Early real-world testing suggests the distraction warnings can be overly sensitive and potentially distracting.
I have an almost dead 02 corolla in my driveway that needs a ton of work. But, I will learn just for this reason.
IMHO it’s enough to buy a used car, have some rudimentary knowledge of maintenance, and find a good traditional mechanic that doesn’t cost too much.
The mechanics where I live are horribly expensive. Buying something else might be the right way to go, but, I’m also hoping to use it as a teaching tool. Maybe I can learn something without risking by daily driver which is about 10 years newer. Also corolla parts are cheap.
Mechanics are expensive, but buying enough equipment to do any kind of major job is even moreso. Not to mention the cost of trying to do complicated jobs without technical expertise, which could cost you a lot if you make a mistake.
Im all for doing work myself when its within reason and doesnt require much in the way of specialized tools. But theres more than a few reasons that mechanics cost a lot of money. Expertise is expensive, labor is expensive, equipment is expensive, etc. Some things are best left to professionals. Unfortunately we are long past the time of cars that are truly simple for the average person to maintain or learn to do work on
Worth noting, at least for those in the USA, your local chain auto parts store may lend out tools. The one around the corner from me used to.
My fan clutch seized up (it’s supposed to let go when it cools down so the fan isn’t always spinning at full speed). I needed a very wide wrench to get it off; even my biggest crescent wrench was way too small. They had a tool that fit perfectly and since DIYers buy their parts from them, it makes perfect sense that they’d happily lend these tools out as long as people bring them back. They put a hold on my card for the borrowed tool, but dropped it when I brought it back.
The broken fan clutch took my fuel economy (this was a late 90s vehicle) from 15-17mpg to 7-8mpg, but it roared like cross between a very angry hippo and a lion when that fan was pegged at 100%. I was a little sad when it was fixed… but my wallet was happy and the vehicle had a little power again instead of just sounding powerful.
Yeah this. I’m usually able to identify problems, then I make an informed assessment whether I can do it myself or not.
Sometimes a special tool is required that would be just as expensive as letting my mechanic do it.