NSW plan for speed limiters in all cars | The Daily Telegraph
"NSW plan for speed limiters in all cars
Article from: The Daily Telegraph
EXCLUSIVE by Joe Hildebrand
May 19, 2009 12:00am
ALL new cars in NSW could soon be fitted with anti-speeding devices that would make breaking the limit almost impossible and render speeding fines a thing of the past.
The State Government is hoping to make the speed limiting devices - undergoing trials in NSW this year - a standard safety feature in new cars in the same way airbags are now.
If rolled out across the board the device has the potential to not only phase out speeding altogether but also deprive the Government of tens of millions in revenue.
The Government collected more than $82 million in speeding fines last year, after issuing more than 700,000 infringement notices.
Our Joe Hildebrand tests a speed-limited car
The "intelligent speed adaptation" devices put a trip between the accelerator and the engine and link it to a GPS system that has every NSW speed zone programmed into it.
The device sounds a warning if the driver exceeds the speed limit. If the driver fails to slow down the system cuts power from the accelerator, capping it at the maximum limit.
In cases of emergency there is an override system whereby the driver can either flick a switch or floor the accelerator to disable the safety device and put the car back in manual control.
It can even be programmed to accommodate school zones, which change speed limits depending on the time of day.
Forty of the devices are having trials in the Illawarra plus another 60 similar units that warn when the speed limit is being breached but do not physically override the driver.
Roads Minister Michael Daley said the devices could one day become standard in all new cars.
"It may be that ISA could become a safety device offered by car manufacturers similar to the way air bags and ABS brakes have become safety features in the car industry," he said.
"We believe this technology could have the potential to save lives which is why we're carrying out this very important trial. The technology could also help motorists avoid speeding fines.
"Speeding is the biggest killer on our roads, responsible for over 150 deaths on our roads last year.
"ISA technology uses satellites and in-car technology to help motorists stay within the speed limit."
The head of the RTA's ISA project John Wall said that while it was early days, the agency hoped that if the trial was successful the devices could be applied ot all new vehicles.
"If we did find it was effective we'd like to see manufacturers make it available in vehicles," Mr Wall said
The RTA, which has spent five years mapping out the speed limits, has just put out a tender for the supply of the devices and 100 private and public vehicles are being recruited for the trial."
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Do not want. Not applicable to motorcycles (trial in Leeds confirmed that it is dangerous on motorcycles), at least not yet?
Government needs to pull its head out and realise that better driver education and training (compulsory and subsidised) is the way to increase safety on roads, not this bandaid solution bullshit.
Edit: Apparently bills in the US and UK have extended from a similar system to fine you on a p/km basis and have the ability to speed limit you to 0 if you don't pay a parking ticket, for example. Have not seen a source for this yet, though.
"NSW plan for speed limiters in all cars
Article from: The Daily Telegraph
EXCLUSIVE by Joe Hildebrand
May 19, 2009 12:00am
ALL new cars in NSW could soon be fitted with anti-speeding devices that would make breaking the limit almost impossible and render speeding fines a thing of the past.
The State Government is hoping to make the speed limiting devices - undergoing trials in NSW this year - a standard safety feature in new cars in the same way airbags are now.
If rolled out across the board the device has the potential to not only phase out speeding altogether but also deprive the Government of tens of millions in revenue.
The Government collected more than $82 million in speeding fines last year, after issuing more than 700,000 infringement notices.
Our Joe Hildebrand tests a speed-limited car
The "intelligent speed adaptation" devices put a trip between the accelerator and the engine and link it to a GPS system that has every NSW speed zone programmed into it.
The device sounds a warning if the driver exceeds the speed limit. If the driver fails to slow down the system cuts power from the accelerator, capping it at the maximum limit.
In cases of emergency there is an override system whereby the driver can either flick a switch or floor the accelerator to disable the safety device and put the car back in manual control.
It can even be programmed to accommodate school zones, which change speed limits depending on the time of day.
Forty of the devices are having trials in the Illawarra plus another 60 similar units that warn when the speed limit is being breached but do not physically override the driver.
Roads Minister Michael Daley said the devices could one day become standard in all new cars.
"It may be that ISA could become a safety device offered by car manufacturers similar to the way air bags and ABS brakes have become safety features in the car industry," he said.
"We believe this technology could have the potential to save lives which is why we're carrying out this very important trial. The technology could also help motorists avoid speeding fines.
"Speeding is the biggest killer on our roads, responsible for over 150 deaths on our roads last year.
"ISA technology uses satellites and in-car technology to help motorists stay within the speed limit."
The head of the RTA's ISA project John Wall said that while it was early days, the agency hoped that if the trial was successful the devices could be applied ot all new vehicles.
"If we did find it was effective we'd like to see manufacturers make it available in vehicles," Mr Wall said
The RTA, which has spent five years mapping out the speed limits, has just put out a tender for the supply of the devices and 100 private and public vehicles are being recruited for the trial."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do not want. Not applicable to motorcycles (trial in Leeds confirmed that it is dangerous on motorcycles), at least not yet?
Government needs to pull its head out and realise that better driver education and training (compulsory and subsidised) is the way to increase safety on roads, not this bandaid solution bullshit.
Edit: Apparently bills in the US and UK have extended from a similar system to fine you on a p/km basis and have the ability to speed limit you to 0 if you don't pay a parking ticket, for example. Have not seen a source for this yet, though.
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