Built-in speed-limiting technology may be on the way for all vehicles sold in Europe from 2022, after new rules were agreed provisionally by the EU. But with Brexit under way, will these regulations still apply in the UK?
It seems the answer is yes. The Department for Transport has said that this system will also apply in the UK, regardless of the planned departure from the EU.
The suite of safety measures provisionally approved include intelligent speed assistance (ISA), advanced emergency braking and lane-keeping technology.
Cars using ISA receive speed limit information via GPS and a digital map. There may also be an additional video camera recognising speed limit signs on the road.
The system can be temporarily overridden by pressing down on the accelerator, but otherwise it acts to keep the vehicle moving at or below the maximum legal speed for the road.
A number of car manufacturers, including Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Volvo, already have models fitted with this technology.
In addition to the speed-limiting system, other safety features are also on the cards: warnings for driver drowsiness and distraction, and data recorders to refer back to in case of accidents.
More than 1,700 people are killed on UK roads every year, and road safety charity Brake reacted positively to the news, calling it a ‘landmark day.’
However, other responses have been less welcoming, with the automobile association opining that ‘a little speed’ was often useful for drivers.
The ultimate goal of the new measures is to cut road deaths to zero by 2050. However, the proposals have a way to go before becoming law.
The European Parliament and Council have yet to consider the provisional rules and decide whether to formally approve them.
