Speed limiter tech: what do you think?

Some big news happened quietly at the beginning of this month. Intelligent speed limiters became mandatory on new vehicles headed for the EU market.

There’s a big reason why the rules came into force.

Speeding is still the leading cause of 30% of all fatal accidents on Europe’s roads. Everyone wants those numbers to come down and the EU has a target of zero road deaths by 2050. So, any new advanced driver assistance (ADAS) technology that could help hit this target will be seriously considered.

Intelligent speed limiter technology works by actively preventing drivers from exceeding the speed limit. It uses road-sign recognition cameras and GPS-linked speed limit databases, so you can’t exceed the limit on any given road.

Importantly though it can be overridden by pushing down on the accelerator. This is vital if you need to get out of a precarious situation. It can also be switched off when you first get in the vehicle.

The technology could well come to the UK in some form. We may have cut political ties with the EU but the Department of Transport helped develop the intelligent speed limiter plan; ministers are due to debate what parts of the mandate could be brought to UK roads.

We’d love to know what you think. There’s a real desire to integrate more ADAS systems on vehicles, helping improve safety and convenience – but what do you see as the pros and cons?

Is the introduction of intelligent speed limiter technology a good move, and are you ready for ADAS-laden vehicles to roll into your workshop?

Automotive is going through unprecedented changes and the IMI wants to help you keep up with developments. If you’ve got any questions, please get in touch on +44 (0)1992 519025, or send an email to hello@theimi.org.uk and we’ll try out best to help.

With my very best wishes

Steve