There’s proposed legislation coming to the US that will require new vehicles to be equipped with inexpensive presence-detection technology. The tech will need to detect the presence of an occupant inside when the engine is off.

The legislation, called the Hot Cars Act, is designed to prevent hot car injuries and deaths. Tragically, they’re more common than you might think — 38 children and 50 pets die every year on average from heatstroke as a result of being left in a hot car. 

Of the children that passed away:

  • 54% were forgotten in the car seat by a babysitter
  • ~26% gained access into the car on their own and got trapped
  • ~19% were knowingly left in the car by a child care provider at day care