Photo: nmcti.org
The future looks grim for the young riders in Europe as the new EU regulations will make a dreaded accessory mandatory for riders under the age of 21. Basically, all motorcycle manufacturers will have to equip the bikes sold to beginning riders with a special module which senses when the rider is speeding and sends an SMS alert to a predefined number.
Swedish commissioner Ivar Watchensson says that these SMS alerts will not be sent to 112, the European emergency number or the police. "The reasons behind this new regulation aim at letting the parents know what their kids are doing. Speeding is illegal, but we are trying to use the family, and not the police, to educate the young riders," he added.
Watchensson says that because of the A2 license limitations, many riders choose to buy motorcycles which become A2-legal after receiving a restrictor kit. These kits are installed by the motorcycle dealers, and they limit the maximal power output of the bikes within legal limits, and can be removed after riders become A-license holders.
If these customers decide to keep the unrestricted bike, the dealer who removes the restrictor kit will also uninstall the speeding sensor.
The "speeding module" works like any similar anti-theft device, using a GSM sim and a monthly subscription. Given the very vocal protests, it is expected that all the subscriptions will be paid from EU funds, also possibly to avoid circumventing the system by not paying the bills.
With speed, time, date, and exact position sent via SMS, the parents will know when and where their kids have been speeding. No info was offered as to what margin above the legal speed on a certain road sector will trigger the alert. It seems like law-makers agree that alerts should not be sent out when doing several mph over the speed limit.
This may raise a bit the price of motorcycles, some say, but we can expect that the EU should also cover the costs of the modules.
The SMS alerts system will only be implemented on A2 motorcycles
Thankfully, only A2 license holders will be affected by this new law, and as soon as they become fully licensed to operate any motorcycle without restrictions on public roads, they are entitled to remove the system from the bike.Watchensson says that because of the A2 license limitations, many riders choose to buy motorcycles which become A2-legal after receiving a restrictor kit. These kits are installed by the motorcycle dealers, and they limit the maximal power output of the bikes within legal limits, and can be removed after riders become A-license holders.
If these customers decide to keep the unrestricted bike, the dealer who removes the restrictor kit will also uninstall the speeding sensor.
The EU covers the costs of the GSM subscription
Some riders' organizations protested when the news broke out and denounced what they described as "yet another method used by EU governments to reach for the citizens' pockets." In response, EU officials said that the European Commission is analyzing a way to avoid burdening the citizens with an additional mobile phone subscription.The "speeding module" works like any similar anti-theft device, using a GSM sim and a monthly subscription. Given the very vocal protests, it is expected that all the subscriptions will be paid from EU funds, also possibly to avoid circumventing the system by not paying the bills.
With speed, time, date, and exact position sent via SMS, the parents will know when and where their kids have been speeding. No info was offered as to what margin above the legal speed on a certain road sector will trigger the alert. It seems like law-makers agree that alerts should not be sent out when doing several mph over the speed limit.
This may raise a bit the price of motorcycles, some say, but we can expect that the EU should also cover the costs of the modules.
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