It’s difficult to ascertain why the “smart gun” hype machine has rumbled back to life recently, but a Washington Post article seems to have gotten the ball rolling again. Now a special CBS News segment has explored the case for such “safe” firearms—and gives the misleading impression that the technology is viable and could be ready for the market soon.
As a Forbes piece points out, when CBS talks to famous angel investor Ron Conway about his support for multiple “smart gun” startups, it implies that these ventures are poised for success. In reality, the majority of the projects that Conway backs never become profitable. The author also makes the case that the tech sector does not always succeed in transforming other industries—so even with the backing of a power player like Conway and a concerted effort from developers, “smart guns” are likely to succeed only if they someday live up to the standards of gun owners.
