- Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) technology becomes compulsory on all new cars sold in Europe from July 7.
- Drivers get audio-visual alerts when they exceed the limit, but can override the system – for now.
- Safety advocates in North America want the US to adopt similar technology.
Europeans who like to drive fast and are looking for a new car better prepare themselves for a barrage of electronic tsk-tsking from next week. Starting July 7, all new cars sold on the continent must be fitted with intelligent speed-assist (ISA) software designed to discourage drivers from breaking the limit.
Many cars currently on sale already feature ISA, because it was made mandatory on all newly introduced models from July 2022 onward. But models that were introduced prior to that date could get by without the technology until this month.
Related: Most Drivers Say They’d Welcome Anti-Speeding Tech, Are You One Of Them?
ISA doesn’t fully prevent drivers from breaking the posted limit, instead trying to gently remind them of their legal and moral obligations to stick to it by issuing reminders. The EU has left the exact nature of those reminders up to the automakers, but options open to them include audio visual alerts and even extra resistance in the gas pedal.
Drivers can choose to ignore the alerts, or switch them off altogether. But they’ll always default to on when you next start the car.
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) had been lobbying for engine power be cut once a car reached the legal limit, but the auto industry pushed back, meaning drivers can still use full power when they need it, for example to get out of danger, or just because they want to drive like an absolute bawbag.
ISA can use a combination of GPS data and traffic sign-reading cameras to work out what speed you should be traveling it, but it’s not always right. Sometimes it can pick up a sign from a side road and incorrectly assume that lower limit applies to the road you’re traveling down.
Cars sold in North America don’t currently have ISA, but the NHTSA and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have been calling for its introduction. And its arrival within the next few years seems likely given that the US recently passed a law that requires all cars to have sophisticated automatic emergency braking systems by 2029.
