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All new cars will be fitted with a special gadget to stop you going over the speed limit from July this year. New motors will be fitted with the nifty feature from July 6, 2022, after a ruling from the European Union.
This applies to any new cars produced after that date, rather than any current cars on the road. Vehicles will be fitted with an Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) limiter as standard.
The driver can override the system, but the police can access the data from them in the event of a crash. The box records speed, braking and steering positions in the lead up to any accident.
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Autocar explained: “The system that will become mandatory on new cars in 2022 uses a forward-facing camera mounted on the car and the vehicle’s satellite navigation system to identify the speed limit and, if the car is exceeding it, to restrict the fuel flowing to the engine until the vehicle is at the limit speed.”
It follows legislation from the European Commission, which was given a seal of approval back in 2019.
At the time road safety charity Brake described it as a “landmark day for road safety”, but the AA said the “best speed-limiter is the driver’s right foot”.
ISA prevents vehicles from speeding by limiting engine power, but the system can be overridden or temporarily switched off.
A DfT spokesman said at the time: “These interventions are expected to deliver a step-change in road safety across Europe, including the UK. Intelligent Speed Assistance systems are expected to give drivers feedback when the speed limit is exceeded rather than limiting the speed, much like satellite navigation does now.”