London to Have Satellites that Control Speed

So long, high speed fun...A trial involving a sophisticated in-car computer could soon temper speeders from space as a  satellite will be used to detect the speed limit on a particular road and automatically slow the car if it is being driven too quickly.

The trial is being carried out by Transport for London (TfL), which runs buses, trains, the underground transportation and major roads in the city.

The Intelligent Speed Adaption system detects a vehicle's exact location via satellite and accesses a database of every road's speed limit to determine how fast the vehicle should be traveling.

According to TfL, the trial will begin with a specially-equipped fleet that will be taken to the roads this summer and during a six-month trial they will evaluate the technology's impact.

The new technology will not influence only the road safety or traffic congestion, but could also cut the amount of revenues speed cameras raise. The system offers the driver two modes - voluntary and advisory - as well as an override button.

The system however does not affect the brakes. If an ISA-equipped car is driven from a 40mph to a 30mph or 20mph zone it will be automatically and gradually slowed down.

“This innovative technology could help any driver avoid the unnecessary penalties of creeping over the speed limit and at the same time will save lives,” said Chris Lines, head of TfL's road safety unit.

Andrew Howard, the AAA's head of road safety, thinks “Drivers are divided in their views of ISA; some hate it, some want it. Many have questions that will be answered only by trials like those being carried out by TfL.”

Paul Biggs, of the Association of British Drivers, believes the system “will stop drivers thinking”.

One local authority has already said it wants to place an order for 300 ISA units - which cost £400,000 to develop - for its own fleet, as reported by The Daily Mail. They were made by the British division of Technolution, a Dutch firm, with funding from TfL.