LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE
According to figures from the Home Office, four drivers are booked for speeding on British roads every minute. So could in-car devices that monitor how fast we’re driving help more of us stick to the speed limit? Motoring editor Ginny Buckley brings us up
Clocking up points on your licence and forking out for speeding fines could be a thing of the past, if plans to fit speed detection technology in all cars made after 2022 come into force.
The system, known as intelligent speed adaptation (ISA), uses GPS data and cameras to keep an eye on your speed. Although the technology is capable of slowing down a speeding car, the Department for Transport says drivers will simply be alerted to the fact they are speeding by a dashboard light and a warning sound.
It’s hoped that this will go some way towards cutting the number of accidents involving speeding drivers, which account for a quarter of fatal road accidents in the UK, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. The EU Commission claims the new tech could help avoid 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.
But not everyone welcomes the plans, which also involve fitting an aircraft-style ‘black box’ to cars to record speed and location data. Campaigners claim the new technology will allow the police, insurers and
even hackers to spy on drivers and monitor their every move. Other opponents fear drivers will become too reliant on the technology.
‘The best speed limiter is the driver’s right foot, and the driver should use it to do the right speed in the right situation,’ says the AA’S Edmund King. ‘The right speed is often below the speed limit: for example, outside a school with children nearby. However, with ISA there may be a temptation to go at the top speed allowed, which may not be appropriate.’
Like or loathe the idea of your car monitoring your driving, this is another example of how technology is playing an increasing role in road safety. As we head towards a future where driverless cars are likely to be a familiar sight, our cars could make driving safer by automatically avoiding potential hazards and taking care of stressful tasks, such as parking or driving in traffic jams. And it’s easy to see how they might cut the number of accidents caused by drivers who are distracted or tired, as well as opening up independent road travel to the visually impaired.