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UK tests 'Intelligent Speed Adaptation' tech that automatically regulates vehicle speeds
Transport for London plans to begin a six-month trial of a new technology that will artificially limit the top speeds of taxis, buses and government fleet vehicles. Called Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), the system will keep track of speed limits all over London and prevent operators from accelerating past that legal limit. The device is capable of slowing the vehicle down regardless of the driver's wishes.
Alternatively, the system can be switched into an advisory mode that simply informs the driver when the speed limit has been reached. If these tests prove successful, it's likely that the ISA technology will be made available within the next 12 months to private motorists who wish to limit the top speed of their personal vehicles. So far, there's no indication that the government will mandate the use of the ISA system.
It's hoped that a large number of drivers will choose to equip their vehicles with the ISA technology. Transport for London believes that both accidents and road congestion would be drastically reduced, which would also have the desirable effect of reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
[Source: Transport for London | Image: Edward Barnieh Photography]
PRESS RELEASE:
New technology to cut traffic accidents tested
TRANSPORT for London (TfL) is to launch a six-month trial of the Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) technology which aims to reduce road casualties and help drivers avoid speeding penalties.
As part of the trial, which starts this summer, a London bus will be fitted with ISA.
The TfL Road Safety Unit is also keen to trial the technology in a licensed taxi, alongside 20 TfL vehicles driven by road engineers, traffic managers and highway inspectors.
The intelligent technology allows drivers to select an option whereby acceleration is stopped automatically at the speed limit specific to any road within the M25.
The unit can be disabled at the touch of a button, at which point it reverts to an advisory status where the current, legal speed limit is simply displayed as a driver aid.
There is also a complete override switch which disables the system entirely.
The practical uses of the technology will be tested during the trial, after which a report will be submitted to the Mayor of London.
The technology will then be made available to external organisations.
Southwark Council has already expressed an interest in fitting ISA to more than 300 of its vehicles.
The trial will monitor driver behaviour, journey times and the effect that driving within the speed limit has on vehicle emissions.
It is estimated that if two thirds of London drivers use the ISA system, the number of road casualties in the capital could be reduced by 10 per cent.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
nadnarb 8:48AM (5/15/2009)
Why do I keep hearing that in America we aren't all that free from the Brits then I read stuff like this. Combined with the vast amount of CCTV's throughout that country they are much closer to 1984 than we are. Talk about a Nanny state.
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Bloke 9:05AM (5/15/2009)
So says the person living in a country who can't even legally drink a pint of beer legally until they're in their twenties and gets their media network censored in case a black woman's breast appears briefly on live television.
Autoblog loves posting articles such as this trying to purport London to be some sort of totalitarian state. The truth of the matter is that London is so congested it needs to get rid of all traffic except for public transport and emergency vehicles; the cost to the local economy due to traffic congestion runs into millions. Autoblog writers clearly haven't got much of a clue and can only relate schemes such as these working in Bumblef*ck, Oklahoma.
It's nothing about driver education, either. This scheme is designed to ensure that public vehicles remain in the speed limit. Unlike America, you can sue local authorities in Britain for negligence (dependant upon the nature of the case) for accidents caused by poor road maintenance, public transport failures, etc and I suspect that's what this scheme is aiming to prevent. If anyone knows London well enough it's difficult to speed anywhere unless you're on a main artery on a weekend.
AntBee 9:36AM (5/15/2009)
I came here to say almost the exact same thing nadnarb. It's no wonder that people are wanting to leave Britain in droves. It has become one of the worst nanny states on the planet!
naggs 6:40PM (5/15/2009)
the UK is a nanny state and i would leave the US if it ever got that bad
at least we have our guns so we can just shoot the damn cameras
Sea Urchin 8:48AM (5/15/2009)
Once again, no need for fancy tech, just enforce laws. Should police catch someone speeding, fine that person, but not $80, fine the person, $500 the first time, $1,000 plus a day of community service (garbage collection) the second time, and suspend the license for two years the third time.
Double the punishment if the person drunk or high.
BTW, having kids in the car does not slow down people, i have seen too many minivans out there fly by me.
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CB 9:01AM (5/15/2009)
"Double the punishment if the person drunk or high."
Uh, drunk driving is way more than twice as worse as speeding.
Drunk drivers are a leading cause of death, especially for younger people. Very few people are hurt by those driving 70 mph in a 65 mph zone.
David 9:02AM (5/15/2009)
That would be hilarious. With steep penalties, people wouldn't just drive the speed limit -- they'd drive half the limit, and when they saw a cop they'd slam on the brakes anyway. Congestion would be much worse due to under-utilization of available lanes, and accidents would be more common.
alej469 9:19AM (5/15/2009)
Sea Urchin, you've obviously never been caught by a sneaky, hidden speed camera going three miles over the speed limit. Maybe that would change your opinion on the subject...
m 9:30AM (5/15/2009)
I agree with Sea Urchin's basic idea on this. That is of course assuming that the speed limits are updated to actual reasonable speeds, not the ridiculously low speeds that most have now. And choosing not to signal your intentions, leftism, running reds, and not turning into the nearest lane should be ticketed heavily too.
Ben 8:51AM (5/15/2009)
There's also something called driver education. Or does that not work in the UK?
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Sea Urchin 9:00AM (5/15/2009)
Well it certainly does not work in USA. Let's be honest here, i am a borderline retard, even i have drivers license.
Bottom line is, car companies have made sure that license are so easy to get that almost anyone can get them. The law requires a 5 hour test here in NY, that class lasts about 1.5 hours, a clear violation of the law, but they are never punished for that (brought to you by car manufacturers once again), the intense lobbying by D3 and others made sure that streets are filled with "drivers" who can not flip a burger properly. You do not have to drive on a highway even ONCE to get D License. Not once.
John 9:48AM (5/15/2009)
"Bottom line is, car companies have made sure that license are so easy to get that almost anyone can get them. "
Then how do you explain all states going to more strict licencing procedurers? Ineffective auto lobbying?
You have no clue what you're talking about.
Sean 12:39PM (5/15/2009)
Automakers could stop putting in signal lights for new cars in the US and I swear maybe 20 people, including myself, would notice.
Edsel 8:56AM (5/15/2009)
In my lengthy lifetime, I have never encountered any government program deserving the "Intelligent" designation.
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naggs 6:42PM (5/15/2009)
my question is this, when someone bleeds to death in the back seat of a car doing 25 mph on the way to the emergency room, who goes to debtors prison?
Jei 8:57AM (5/15/2009)
If anybody remembers the movie, Minority Report, among all of the other daily tech interactions was a system that regulated vehicle system on their "highway" systems.
If this type of system was used even on some of the medium-sized cities it may work to prevent major traffic jams. Most traffic jams are caused by speeding up & slowing down within the normal flow of traffic causing moving bottlenecks.
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Tkf 9:00AM (5/15/2009)
the system will keep track of speed limits all over London and prevent operators from accelerating past that legal limit.
Built in GPS?
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Bloke 9:07AM (5/15/2009)
Buses operating regular services routes in most cities and towns across the UK have built in GPS units. Bus stops display the waiting time until the next bus arrives.
tts 9:13AM (5/15/2009)
This seems dangerous to me. If the speed limit is 45mph and the guy in front of you is going about 40 you should be able to pass him. But in a situation where it's a one lane road its much safer to go above the speed limit for a second or so and pass quickly than to risk running into a car head on.
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swimtedswim 9:16AM (5/15/2009)
@Bloke
Aren't you glad you didn't have to type that in German? :p
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