I wouldn't buy one and don't like the idea of any law having to use them. I just got an email from my mother asking me about them so I sent her some info I found on them. I just wanted to start a discussion about them to see what you think.
The smart gun has been criticized by both the gun-rights and gun-control groups. One argument is concerning the use of technology with little testing in the field in a machine where a delay or malfunction of chips could cost lives rather than save them. This issue is such a concern that the New Jersey law on smart guns exempts police departments from having to buy them. Which defeats the purpose of law enforcement officers using them in the first place. Smart guns show a lack of reliability, they do not always identify and allow the authorized user, the best examples show a successful performance only 80% of the time.
Moreover the National Rifle Association (NRA) and dozens of other gun-rights groups oppose any law - like the one intended to be passed eventually by New Jersey state - that mandates the sale of only such smart firearms instead of leaving the choice to the buyer. Firearms experts note that the biometrics factors are subject to change due to owner fatigue, aging, illness, injury and failure to place the fingers in the same exact place each time the pistol is held.
Some gun control groups, such as the Violence Policy Center, are concerned that it might increase gun sales, given the newfound sense of security. But given the increased cost of a "smart gun" a sudden surge in gun ownership is unlikely. Other gun control groups and individuals are more interested in "no guns" than "smart guns".
Nonetheless, the smart gun may become more common with advances in technology increasing its reliability.