Speed Limiters in newly designed cars.

John Robins

Adrian Flux, who insure my car, have sent me the following note: -

“Speed limiters to be fitted in new cars
From early July all new cars will be fitted with speed limiters to comply and improve road safety measures. The Intelligent Speed Assistance black boxes will use GPS to work out the speed limit and ensure cars don’t break it.

They will be mandatory for all new models given ‘type approval’ from July, meaning any new car brought to market from that date, rather than new cars already in production.”

If these speed limiters are mandatory and not operable at the driver’s choice, does this mean that the 70mph National speed limit will become enforced by the robot under the bonnet, and, if so, what will be the point of buying anything more powerful than a 2CV? While I do not wish to condone law breaking this does seem, if taken at face value, to impose the 70mph speed limit in a rather big brotherish way, or am I unable correctly to understand the above note?

Cheers
John

Nicholas Simons · Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2022 12:02 pm Post subject:

This seems very draconian. Check the Government's website to see whether it is really true.

Black boxes are already in use for new drivers, in order to monitor their driving capabilities and speed limit adherence. This is all very well, as it reduced their premiums, but enforcing speed limits automatically in new cars seems to be what a totalitarian regime would impose, rather than our good old free society. What happens if the black box fails, and imposes a lower limit than on the road one is driving along? It appears sensible safeguards will be in place.

If you check the press you'll see that the driver can over-ride the system or switch it off.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/content/news/mandatory-speed-limiters-on-uk-cars-from-2022

John Robins · Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2022 12:55 pm Post subject:

Thank you, Nicholas.

I don’t know who is more to blame, Adrian Flux or me for not searching the net before posting.

My Mercédès has a speed limiter incorporated in the cruise control but not sat nav linked, and I must say I find it useful in 30 and 40 areas. You don’t get any vibrating toes or flashing lights, the car simply will not go faster than the speed you set.

Are we, however, seeing the thin end of a very fat wedge?

Robert Craven · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 9:30 pm Post subject:

The cars I've driven with speed limit sign recognition cameras on them quite often get the speed limits wrong. I think they're of some use but you can't rely 100% on them. I also find the rather large black "boxes" they need between the rear view mirror and the windscreen rather distracting. They can blot out part of your view, particularly of traffic lights when you draw up at red lights at a junction. The technology still needs improving.

Nicholas Simons · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:21 am Post subject:

The new technology is designed to use GPS to ascertain the speed limits on any road. It is not an optical system. Of course it's only as good as the GPS database so cannot be up to date when a road has its speed limit changed.

Robert Craven · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:59 am Post subject:

Nicholas, the link you gave refers to both and says "Intelligent Speed Assistant (ISA) uses GPS data and/or traffic-sign-recognition cameras to determine the maximum speed allowed in an area".
Both systems can be unreliable, GPS because the map is out of date or closely parallel roads are confused & sign recognition because the camera misses the signs.

John Robins · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 10:00 am Post subject:

Interesting point for the lawyers, if a speed limit has been reduced, but gps hasn’t caught up, you are depending upon gps and get nicked for speeding, are you guilty of driving without due care as well as speeding?

Nicholas Simons · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:54 pm Post subject:

The driver must always be responsible for adhering to the law. No amount of fancy gadgets will remove his liability. Why don't we all forget about fancy gadgets and get back to driving properly, with responsibility, ie, only drive a car over 30 years old.

DavidThompson · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 12:02 pm Post subject:

Back in the early 1970's I was prosecuted for traveling at 40mph in a 30mph area. Having seen the policeman leaning out from behind a tree pointing his device at me, I checked my speed, and was surprised to be stopped further down the road and handed a notice of intended prosecution.
The 30mph signs had been removed by a contractor widening the road, so I went to court, complete with a letter from the contractor confirming the signs were missing at the time of my "offence".
The magistrate told me the 30mph restriction did not change simply because the signs had been removed, and fined me £15, a lot of money to me in those days.