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UK's nanny state goes a step further: trialing in-car GPS speed limiters

 
6 1,725 views May 15, 2009
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london digital speed limit map 001

london digital speed limit map 001

london digital speed limit map 001

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Already the UK is known as one of the most intrusive nations in the world when it comes to surveillance and speeding, but apparently they're not quite satisfied yet. Now Transport for London (TfL) is launching a trial of a GPS-based in-car speed limiter which will forcibly slow a speeding car.

The system has an appropriately benign and Orwellian name: Intelligent Speed Adaptation. So far it's fortunately only being fitted to 1 taxi, one bus and 20 TfL agency vehicles for a period of six months. Unfortunately the trial is clearly aimed at evaluating the system for a public roll-out. It has been under study by TfL since 2004, and this trial marks another step forward in its progression toward mass use.

"We know the technology works, and now we want to know how drivers in all types of vehicles respond to it," said Chris Lines, Head of TfL's London Road Safety Unit.

"ISA is intended as a road safety device, but if Londoners embrace this technology we may well see additional benefits including reduced congestion as a result of collisions and reduced vehicle emissions as drivers adopt a smoother driving style."

It works by detecting the vehicle's position and speed via GPS, comparing that to a map of known speed zones, and slowing the car if it is exceeding the limit. It can still be disabled by the driver, reverting to an 'advisory status' where it notifies the driver of their improper speed. Which makes the system almost completely useless, in the end.

But that hasn't stopped Southwark Council from expressing its interest in fitting the system to its fleet of 300 vehicles. In all, TfL estimates that if at least 66% of London drivers used the system, traffic fatalities could be cut by 10%. Of course, that assumes that the people that are most likely to speed excessively would be included in that 10%.

For a full chart of the speed limits and their locations within London, check out the graph below.
Transport for London digital speed limit map

HI-RES GALLERY: london digital speed limit map 001




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Comments (6)

  1. ma_NoNameDenton avatar NoNameDenton Posted: 5/15/2009 3:15pm PDT

    Some people need to mind their own business on somethings, namely the government
     
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  2. ma_bartonbriggs avatar bartonbriggs Posted: 5/15/2009 3:44pm PDT

    I am horrified to read about this infringement on freedom. The UK was good in the 1970s. Police cars (called Panda cars) were painted in bright colors and parked on raised podiums on highway hard shoulders to get people to slow down. The spirit was to warn motorists rather than using them as cash cows.

    They should limit their cameras to the underground train stations to catch terrorists, not law abiding citizens.
     
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  3. ma_www.mywheelsonwalls.com avatar www.mywheelsonwalls.com Posted: 5/15/2009 10:44pm PDT

    I'm so glad America is now my home, what a mess!!!!!!
     
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  4. ma_Rice1 avatar Rice1 Posted: 5/16/2009 1:12am PDT

    we're headed in that direction wheelsonwalls.com, esp. in california
     
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  5. ma_NoNameDenton avatar NoNameDenton Posted: 5/16/2009 6:47pm PDT

    we're headed in that direction wheelsonwalls.com, esp. in california

    Agreed, didn't Oregon want to use gps to track how much people drive to tax them on it?
     
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  6. ma_Jim avatar Jim Posted: 5/18/2009 5:27am PDT

    The surveillance society that has developed in the UK is frightening. I'd say Orwellian, but George underestimated the intrusions that government would inflict. But sadly he did not underestimate how meekly the populace would acquiesce.
     
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