Concerns over “Big Brother in your cockpit” as speeding drivers could hear alarms or see engine power reduced.
Speed limiters could be fitted to all newly manufactured cars following a controversial EU ruling.
The new technology is set to be fitted to European cars and the UK is now looking into rolling out the same limiters. Car brands in Australia feature some of the technology already but there is no strict rule in place to enforce the speed-limiting systems.
In Europe, speeding drivers can have their car’s engine power reduced or having warning alarms going off. Such systems are based on “intelligent speed assistance”, which uses GPS location data and cameras to identify whether a vehicle is travelling within the legal speed limit.
Drivers will be able to deactivate it, but they will have to do so every time they start their car.
Ccertain political groups in the UK have critised the idea of adopting the systems, the Daily Telegraph reports. Craig Mackinlay, Conservative MP and chairman of the Fair Fuel UK Motorists and Hauliers all-party parliamentary group, commented: “This will completely destroy the luxury car market, and I think there are so many aspects of the anti-driver campaign now that are coming to the fore.
“This is just more Big Brother in your cockpit. We’ll see more of this if we go up the route of road pricing. I don’t think people have thought of the freedom aspects of all of this. It just sounds very un-Conservative.”
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), added: “SMMT and its members look forward to contributing to the UK Government consultation on how these measures will be rolled out in this country.” Hawes also warned against diverging from EU regulations.
However, a spokesperson for the Department for Transport told the Daily Telegraph: “The UK’s departure from the EU provides us with the platform to capitalise on our regulatory freedoms. We’re currently considering the vehicle safety provisions included in the EU’s General Safety Regulation and will implement requirements that are appropriate for Great Britain and improve road safety.”
Tristan Shale-Hester