Filed under: Gadgets, Safety, Tech, First Drive, UK
They've finally done it. GPS slows speeders.
It's only a ten-vehicle trial, for now -- but the emphasis is on the "for now." Transport for London, the body responsible for the Underground, bus, and river bus network in London, has put out an RFP for a company that can make an Intelligent Speed Adaptation system. What is that? It's a GPS-based device that would attempt to keep you from speeding.
The device is meant to work by knowing where it is, and what the speed limit is. The same way the Nissan GT-R knows it's on a track and removes the speed limiter, this would be the reverse: the car would know it's in a 30-MPH zone, and would work to keep the driver from going any faster. It's not I, Robot (above) -- although we'll say again: yet.
In the beginning, the system would only vibrate the accelerator pedal, or make a beeping noise to let a driver know he's speeding. At this point it doesn't look like there are any plans for the system to take control of the car, but one would have to assume that such ideas are being debated, and are on their way. We're all for safe driving, and as technology allows politicians and councils to come up with more ways keep people safe, things could get, well, interesting. But at least it's not a revenue grab -- the car doesn't keep track of how fast you're going and not tell you, so the authorities can send you a bill later...
[Source: Auto Express]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
EJ25RUN 10:04AM (12/31/2007)
this is the beginning....
of our hatred of cars
Reply
John R 10:11AM (12/31/2007)
F@#K that.
Reply
NewJerseyBMW 10:22AM (12/31/2007)
Putting my cars in time capsules as we speak,
Don't forget the STABIL in the tank.
Reply
3seriesisking 11:48AM (12/31/2007)
What has the world come to? I knew it would come one day but not so soon. Damned British.
Rocketboy 10:23AM (12/31/2007)
Any device designed to limit driver control over a car is a dangerous device.
Reply
Naylor 11:16AM (12/31/2007)
Its going to be brilliant when overtaking someone doing 55 in a 60 into oncoming traffic when these systems do eventually stop you from speeding altogether.....
71cuda 10:24AM (12/31/2007)
This will never happen UNLESS they tweak it to adjust your wallet for speeding. They won't give up the money now coming in with speed cameras now being used. I just paid a $40 ticket in the mail.
Reply
j_diesel 3:49PM (12/31/2007)
i think it will know you are speeding, warn you, and then remove the appropriate fine directly from your bank account. maybe i'll keep my chev corsica in a barn for a few years...
Diehard1 10:34AM (12/31/2007)
This has been coming for years. Look at the amount of data points that are tracked in every cars ECU. Combine that with a cellular modem (OnStar) and a gps. Add drive by wire and things start to get scary. I never though I would be asking for a carborated vehicle again but at this rate...
Reply
Jimmy 10:38AM (12/31/2007)
this would be pretty stupid.. if they go ahead and cut power / limit speed while somebody is trying to overtake a slow car (50mph) on a single lane state highway (55mph limit), nobody will safely be able to overtake slower moving cars, forcing everybody to go as slow as the slowest vehicle on the road..
Reply
Mike 10:53AM (12/31/2007)
Maybe they can also make cars go faster by giving them warning if they drive under the speedlimit as well?
Five MPH under in left lane = alarm
Ten MPH over in any lane = alarm
After all it's really the speed that causes accidents, it's the DIFFERENTIAL in speed that makes it dangerous.
I could live with a system like this I suppose if it was on interstate highway systems (and they raised the speed limit to take advantage of the stricter control).
There is more to it to make something like this work i.e.: if the system "knows" your speed, it also knows everyone else's speed, so maybe it creates a dynamic speedlimit based on conditions. Some European roads changing limits based on conditions (weather, traffic etc).
LeRobert 10:43AM (12/31/2007)
Without question another stupid idea cooked up by Ken Livingston. What a waste of British taxpayers' money...
Reply
rndmnme 10:47AM (12/31/2007)
I think I'd rather have a police officer in the passenger seat at all times.
At least we could then pull over the idiots that drive in traffic and give them tickets.
Sweet Sweet Vindication.
Reply
BlackbirdHighway 10:49AM (12/31/2007)
Wait, today isn't April 1st !?
Reply
Ryan 10:52AM (12/31/2007)
I'll be hanging onto my trusty old E30 for quite sometime
Reply
cowboy bob 10:56AM (12/31/2007)
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS IS COMMING FOR YEARS!!! ALL OF YOU LAUGHED AND SAID I NEEDED TO PUT ON MY TINFOIL HAT. What do you think now eh? Just wait. It's all comming. I won't buy a GM vehicle NOW because of "OnStar". Cars and trucks form 1996 have had the computer software to link to statewide computers. They now use this "coupling" for state inspections. This didn't start in some states untill just a couple of years ago, EVEN THOUGH THE NECESSARY DEVICES WERE ALREADY INSTALLED FOR YEARS! You don't have ANY idea where this is going, but the GOVERNMENT has been planning for years! TOLD YOU SO!!!
Reply
Guenther 11:08AM (12/31/2007)
5 years ago, I was working in occupant safety. We designed sensors for passenger airbag suppression that could identify who was sitting in the passenger seat of the car. This means, onstar can track who is riding around in your car with you, where, and for how long.
cowboy bob 1:24PM (12/31/2007)
And....there is more we don't know. The technology already in place for controls we havn't even seen yet may sit in that cpu right now. And, it will get worse.
Brian f 4:03PM (12/31/2007)
I for one welcome our new GPS overlords.
Guenther 11:02AM (12/31/2007)
Jag was to start selling active speed limiters tied to the nav system a few years ago. Not sure if this ever materialized.
Reply