A beast is slouching out of Bethlehem – disguised in swaddling clothes.

Several Israeli companies with ties to the Israeli national security apparat are developing technologies to monitor people inside their own cars.

Ostensibly infant people – ostensibly to prevent them being left inside parked cars to roast to death – a problem created, ironically enough, by forcing parents to put their kids somewhere in the back of the car where they are more easily forgotten.

But the tech to solve this manufactured problem could also be used for "other forms of driver ( i.e., adult) and occupant monitoring," as explained hint hint-style to Automotive News by Raviv Melamed of the Israeli firm Vayar Imaging.

For example, to ascertain whether an adult driver is buckled up for saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaafety. Or smoking in a car that might be used to transport kids. Or allowed – contrary to law – his 11-year-old kid to ride up front instead of "properly secured" in a booster seat in back. Even if just for a quick ride down to the mailbox at the end of the driveway