We all know that many ‘average’ Eurobox motorists are rubbish, with no idea how fast (or slow) they are going or indeed what the speed limit actually is.
Every few years the spectre of speed limiters crops up, but this time there is enough technology to make it happen. There are two main ways the speed limit can be detected; firstly using image recognition systems which can read speed limit signs. The second is GPS based systems linked to a database of roads and limits. Both work very well now, although the first system can be caught out by obscured or cluttered signs and the other can be fooled by GPS inaccuracies and mistakes in the database.
There are three proposals being presented to governments around the world, first is and advisory system where the driver is informed of the limit and warned when it is exceeded. The second is where the driver can request the system automatically limit the cars speed and the final option is compulsory automatic speed limitation.
It is very easy to implement any of these systems on most current cars, as most of the hardware is already there, and systems can be designed to retro fit on some older cars but the older the car the more expensive the system would be due to the need for servos to control the accelerator etc.
It seems likely that, if adopted, the system will be phased in - possibly motorways and city centres would only become open to limited cars first and unlimited cars would gradually become less viable and be squeezed out of the market.