EU Moves to Prevent Cars From Speeding

[TwinIon]

New rules recently approved at the committee stage would mandate that new car models starting in 2022 would include "intelligent speed assistance" that would limit a driver's ability to go above the speed limit. Using cameras, GPS, or both to detect the speed limit, the car would reduce engine power when trying to speed up further. Drivers could override the system in different ways, depending on the model, perhaps with a software setting or even by pressing harder on the gas pedal.

 

To become official, the new rules would require confirmation from both the full EU parliament and ministers from all member states.

 

The new rules would also require a recorder to collect crash data and an emergency braking system.

 

 

Volvo is a step ahead of the EU, and already plans to limit their cars to 112MPH. They're also implementing in car cameras to monitor driver behavior and intervene if they appear to be drunk or distracted. So if you're curious as to where the future of vehicle safety requirements, I think Volvo's leading the way.

 

 

If we were to see similar rules in the US, I'd be pretty annoyed, but I'd still begrudgingly accept them. California freeways often have speed limits of 55 or 65 MPH, and almost no one goes that speed when there's no traffic. If you put that limit higher and made it harder to go much faster, I'd be more ok with that, but I can't imagine that happening. 

 

Something that does stick out to me with these rules is that they seem rather expensive compared to many safety features. It requires that cars have GPS and cameras, and a black box of electronics. In order to work they'd need some way to consistently update that database of speed limits, so you're adding another radio of some kind in there. For the cameras to be useful they have to do at least limited vision recognition. In France they change speed limits depending on road conditions, and if you wanted to keep to that, it's a whole new set of problems.  High end cars already have most of what you'd need, but it seems like a lot to ask of cheap new cars so soon.

 

Real self driving cars can't get here soon enough.

[Captain Pickle]

Increase the speed limit dramatically and I'm ok with this 

[Slug]

Cars pre-limitation era will see a nice bump in used resale value.

[Captain Pickle]

9 minutes ago, Slug said:

Cars pre-limitation era will see a nice bump in used resale value.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

Fantastic for Urban areas (non highways specifically)

[Chris-]

I'm all for reducing speeding, but implementing a system which actively counters a driver's input seems obscenely dangerous (since, you know, they are controlling a two ton vehicle at high speeds with split second decisions). I'm not a car expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I would think mandating more severe governors (say, 80 mph) on cars would be the best way to do it.