The $1,000 Hack That Turns Everyday Cars Hands-Free

Host Julie Chang introduces aftermarket driver-assistance devices that cost about $1,000 and can add hands-free highway driving to some recent-model vehicles. Reporter Christopher Otts says the device resembles a small dash camera, with one camera facing the road and another monitoring the driver beneath the rearview mirror. A wiring harness places it into the car’s existing automated-driving controls, so the vehicle’s sensors feed information to the device, which then sends steering and braking instructions back to the car.

Otts says the devices cannot be installed in every vehicle; compatible cars need factory features such as adaptive cruise control or lane-keeping assist. During his ride with Matt Peake, a retired aircraft mechanic, in a Chrysler Pacifica, the system engaged at about 55 miles per hour after Peake set the cruise control. A green indicator showed that it was steering, and Otts found its highway performance comparable to factory systems such as BlueCruise, Super Cruise, or Tesla FSD. It could not navigate to a destination, stop at signs, or handle ordinary point-to-point driving.

The demonstration did not include a crash or a car cutting them off, but the device repeatedly changed from green to orange and issued “pay attention” warnings. Otts emphasizes that it is not a “set it and forget it” system: the driver must remain vigilant and responsible for safety. In the tested Pacifica, the device would disengage below 40 miles per hour, requiring the driver to take over, although capabilities vary by vehicle. Otts says it appeared effective for predictable highway cruising, not necessarily for complex or busy-road situations.

Chang reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has linked at least five crashes to Kama AI, including three deaths and 14 injuries; police and incident reports also describe drivers falling asleep or hitting stopped vehicles. NHTSA opened an investigation in September. Kama declined to comment on the probe or specific accidents, but said users had logged more than 400 million miles and argued that owners have the right to retrofit their cars. The company reiterated that its system requires an attentive driver and is not intended to permit inattention.

Otts says these products remain on the market partly because the U.S. has no federal standards specifically governing this kind of aftermarket assistance, while regulators are already investigating systems from Tesla and other automakers. He notes that Rivian is discussing point-to-point navigation and GM says it plans an eyes-off highway application. Automakers view advanced driving as a source of recurring monthly revenue, while Tesla presents FSD as a central reason to buy its cars. Kama offers some owners, including Tesla and Rivian drivers, a one-time-purchase alternative to those ongoing fees.