Mandatory Speed Limiters Are Coming
The European Union has provisionally approved new laws that would make active speed limiters compulsory in all new cars.
The limiters would use GPS data and road sign-reading cameras to determine what the limit is at any given time, cutting engine power when you stray over the limit. Rather patronisingly named ‘intelligent speed assistance’ (ISA), it’s one of a raft of electronic systems that will be made compulsory on all new cars across the EU.
At this stage the general understanding is that the limiters can be overridden with either a button or a hard press of the throttle, but what is clear is that the system will always default to its on and fully active state when you start the car.
Pending approval by the European Parliament and EU member states, expected to be a formality as the bloc’s politicians make a special effort to show unity as Brexit rumbles on, ISA will be introduced on all-new cars from 2022, with pre-existing models forced to comply by 2024, for example during their mid-life updates. Cars sold before this date won’t be legally required to feature the technology.
Among the other systems slated for universal introduction at that time are autonomous emergency braking, which is already common but will become compulsory. Lane departure warnings, driver drowsiness warnings, driver distraction warnings, an accident data recorder (or ‘black box’) and a dedicated ‘emergency stop’ braking signal will also be required.
The regulations even specify that cars must have the facility to install an ‘alcohol interlock,’ so a breathalyser can be installed and linked to the immobiliser, in theory preventing drunk-driving. Weirdly, the final mandated technology is reversing sensors or a rear-view camera, because apparently no one can be trusted to reverse a car using their eyes any more.
Whether or not the UK leaves the EU in the coming weeks, the technology is likely to be put into practice here as well. Few politicians would have the will to argue for civil liberties over black and white safety.
Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham, has previously called the legislation “great news for road safety.” He continued: “It’s encouraging that a lot of the safety technologies proposed are already fitted as standard on many new cars. In fact, it’s now impossible to get a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating without AEB fitted as standard.”
Comments
Unpopular opinion but, I think this is great. I never believed that speed doesn’t kill, it does. It’s harder for you to react when speeding, braking distances are greater, emergency maneuvers become tough to perform and so on. Besides, the law expects compliance from its citizens, and since that very obviously does not happen, a welfare state (even a confederation like the EU) is under an (ethical, at the very least) obligation to enforce such compliance.
Just my two cents.
Speed doesn’t kill. Not knowing how to drive does. From all my friends, the ones that drive faster are the ones I feel safer to drive with, 1st because they have more experience, 2nd the slow ones drive soo slow that even trucks start to overtake them, and that’s not safe at all. The 120kph speed limit in portugal, my country, is more than 50 years old… What they really need to do is to increase the limit, take it from 120 to 160 where it is safe (not in tunnels or high trafic areas) and then remove the speed limit, just like it is in germany
Stop with the logic! Turkrrrjuuuuuubs!
Why not start with bikes first, then cars? Btw how will you be able to overtake a car that is 10 Km/h below the speed limit in an urban area if you can’t exceed the speed limit?
America-1
Europe-0
Or just keep your current car and don’t buy a new one
Very nice assist for the casual drivers.
But for everyone who also drives fast will just turn it off.
I would probably switch it off too
Soo…. Who get’s the fine when the car decides to go faster than the limit? Obviously the driver can’t be held responsible any more…
This could be a good thing, but I can see this being to the point you cannot override it. Instead of forcing you to going the specific limit, I think it would be safer to limit how much you can go over.
Because just being serious here, prior don’t need to be going 40-50 over the limit.
That should help maintain the value of petrolhead’s cars sold before the introduction of the new laws!
The regulations even specify that cars must have the facility to install an ‘alcohol interlock,’ so a breathalyser can be installed and linked to the immobiliser, in theory preventing drunk-driving. Weirdly, the final mandated technology is reversing sensors or a rear-view camera, because apparently no one can be trusted to reverse a car using their eyes any more.
I don’t know about this. Sounds like a lot of gimmicks to be added driving up the cost of making a car. May as well remove people from driving cars and simply have self driving cars for those uninterested in driving and analog cars for those who’d love to drive a feather lightweight cars.
This also got me wondering if the law applies to bikes as well?
yeah, that’s just an excuse for people not to pay attention, as they can floor it do the limit, and play on their phones with zero regard of their speed, as most people are aware of their speed, sure it might be when they know there’s a camera around, but at least you are paying some attention to your driving.
The Like to Dislike ratio speaks for itself.
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