The Nanny State is Coming: Europe to Make GPS-Controlled Speed Limiters Mandatory

[GTPNewsWire]

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

The Nanny State is Coming: Europe to Make GPS-Controlled Speed Limiters Mandatory

This article was published by Andrew Evans (@Famine) on February 26th, 2019 in the Car Culture category.

 

[Famine]

to aid public acceptance at introduction

Code for "and when you've swallowed THAT pill, there's a bigger one right behind it"...

 

[kjeldsen]

*EDIT*

 

[MrSayAnythang]

Soon u will not be able to fart without it being regulated and spied on

 

[Turbotwin01]

Canada already has this, they call them pot holes. Slow down or the car breaks and stops.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Canada already has this, they call them pot holes. Slow down or the car breaks and stops.

The UK has been investing in such a systems for decades. It's already been rolled out in most areas.

 

[Lord Protector]

Number 1 reason for most of the car accidents is inadequate braking distance to the car in front... That's why there are roads with no speed limit in Germany. Drivers there are very disciplined and not reckless like many others.

This is just another impotent dictate from Brussels. Just wait and see how many innocent families will die because someone will run out of power while overtaking.

 

[Famine]

Soon u will not be able to fart without it being regulated and spied on

Pfft, ridiculous. Once you've got a Farting Licence, you're free to fart as much you like.

 

[Northstar]

It's for the greater good!

 

[Veinz]

Dummy proof everything! just awful.

 

[Famine]

It's for the greater good!

 

[Dan]

Hopefully the more sensible car manufacturers will treat this like those hideous 5 MPH bumpers. “We are required to install these on all of our new cars. We know none of our customers actually like or need these bumpers. In fact, we hate them too, so here’s a very easy way to disable and remove them.”

 

[Russ Petersen]

Won't work here in the US as half our law enforcement would have to be laid off due to funding issues. No speeding, no revenue.

 

[RaceFace85]

Number 1 reason for most of the car accidents is inadequate braking distance to the car in front... That's why there are roads with no speed limit in Germany. Drivers there are very disciplined and not reckless like many others.

If you drive on the german autobahn you could think that it is allowed for big german cars to push the car in the front. The distance to the car in the front is often much to low. If you do a hard brake in the front the one with the big car in the back has no chance.

I think this system is a good think when it let you overtake without any problem. Also a system for enforcing a minimal distance to the car in the front would be great too.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Just wait and see how many innocent families will die because someone will run out of power while overtaking.

Poor judgement is poor judgement. Speed, distance and time are fundamentally linked and if you cannot judge them well enough, you should - at best - not be overtaking.

Dummy proof everything! just awful.

If we had less dummies on the road it wouldn't be so much of an issue. Sadly, we do.

 

[Joey D]

Everyday we stray further from God's light.

But really it all sounds a bit like HAL. Imagine punching the accelerator only to hear "I'm afraid I can't let you do that Dave".

 

[Danoff]

"save 5,200 around lives across Europe each year" and a huge amount of injuries, case closed.

It would save 100% if the speed limiter were set to zero mph. I'm suddenly feeling the need to check used car websites.

 

[Belifant]

a step towards fully autonomous driving. Which is a good thing. Remember, once fully autonomous driving is here, there will be no reasons why cars shouldn't travel at much higher speeds on highways than currently allowed. Instead of stop and go with max 60 km/h, imagine 200 km/h constant travel speed.

 

[Woodybobs]

Imagine punching the accelerator only to hear "I'm afraid I can't let you do that Dave".

Just like my old Fiat Cinquecento.

 

[Eggstor]

What could possibly go wrong?

Soon u will not be able to fart without it being regulated and spied on

Quite soon. The extreme environmentalists in the US are already talking about eliminating cows because of their farts.

Everyday we stray further from God's light.

But really it all sounds a bit like HAL. Imagine punching the accelerator only to hear "I'm afraid I can't let you do that Dave".

Me when that happens...

a step towards fully autonomous driving. Which is a good thing. Remember, once fully autonomous driving is here, there will be no reasons why cars shouldn't travel at much higher speeds on highways than currently allowed. Instead of stop and go with max 60 km/h, imagine 200 km/h constant travel speed.

I have a bridge to sell you if you think that's happening.

 

[Famine]

a step towards fully autonomous driving.

In fact ETSC says it's about assistive technologies rather than full autonomy:

While much of the hype in the media these days is concerned with autonomous vehicles, ETSC believes that policymakers should not focus their regulatory eyes too far in the future. Semi-automated systems already available and approved for use have the potential to save many lives today. They should make sure that ISA, together with other proven technology such as Intelligent Seat Belt Reminders and Automated Emergency Braking, are fitted as standard as soon as possible.

 

[Whitestar]

Pfft, ridiculous. Once you've got a Farting Licence, you're free to fart as much you like.

In the beginning, sure. But that's just the first pill.
The second will be a suppository in the form of a carbon dioxide / methane filter which, to aid with public acceptance and insertiontroduction, will be provided along with a scented silicone lubricant. Oh, and it will be mandatory.

 

[baldgye]

The title;

The Nanny State is Coming

Mandatory

The article;

If pushed into law

driver may deactivate ISA

the system could be temporarily overridden

drivers should be able to turn such a system on and off

Code for "and when you've swallowed THAT pill, there's a bigger one right behind it"...

Yes, god forbid the title of the article is proposed!

 

[Darla Starch]

Pfft, ridiculous. Once you've got a Farting Licence, you're free to fart as much you like.

You sure ye got yer loicense for that?

 

[Danoff]

The title;



The article;







Yes, god forbid the title of the article is proposed!

The limiters are to be mandatory according to the proposal. How they're used is apparently up for debate, for now.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Imagine punching the accelerator only to hear "I'm afraid I can't let you do that Dave".

Would be better than hearing the usual 'rurururururugrgrgrgrgukkaukkaukkaukkaukka... thrap... pffthhhhhh... clunk'

 

[Moglet]

Stuff like this is doing a great job of keeping me from wanting to buy newer cars.

 

[alp]

I hope they are aware of the implications of a mandatory speed limit: there will be no point in making sports cars. Who wants a sports car that tops out at 100-120 km/h?

 

[Famine]

Yes, god forbid the title of the article is proposed!

You're confusing "Europe" with "European Parliament"* and "GPS-Controlled Speed Limiters" with "GPS-Controlled Speed Limiters that you can't turn off"**.

Europe is indeed intending to make GPS-controlled speed limiters mandatory - the IMCO has voted on the legislation proposed by the EC for a vote by the EP*, which includes both ISA** and AEB.

(edit: and actually, I've mixed up two of the bodies in the article, which I've now fixed)


*The European Commission proposed this in 2013. The European Transport Safety Council - which is comprised of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) - has welcomed the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection - which is comprised of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted to create this legislation. The member states and the European Parliament (MEPs) will then vote on whether to make it law or not. Europe's bureaucracy is incredible.
**ISA is part of the legislation. This is a GPS and TSR-controlled speed limiter device. Current forms of the device allow it to be turned off once turned on, by a switch, and bypassed, by severe throttle application. ETSC recommends that this becomes on-at-ignition and harder to turn off, with a long button press, and bypass, by making noises and flashing at you while you are bypassing it. It also recommends this system can be turned off "to aid public acceptance at introduction" - which suggests a system you cannot turn off is an ultimate goal.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I hope they are aware of the implications of a mandatory speed limit: there will be no point in making sports cars. Who wants a sports car that tops out at 100-120 km/h?

Japan's had a 180kmh (112mph) speed limiter on domestic products for decades. People didn't stop buying sports cars. The catch here would be that, if it's GPS-based, hypothetically it wouldn't be an issue on tracks.

Not that I'm defending this: I think it's an awful idea, and doesn't really address the core of the issue, at least here in Canada: it's not the speeds on highways that are dangerous, its the average driver's almost complete lack of attention and/or ability.