Spy Devices to End Speeding by Satellite


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Forget cameras - spy device will cut drivers? speed by satelliteb>

Dipesh Gadher, Transport Correspondent

IT IS the ultimate back seat driver. Motorists face having their cars fitted with a ?spy? device that stops speeding.

The satellite-based system will monitor the speed limit and apply the brakes or cut out the accelerator if the driver tries to exceed it. A government-funded trial has concluded that the scheme promotes safer driving.

Drivers in London could be among the first to have the ?speed spy? devices fitted. They would be offered a discount on the congestion charge if they use the system.

The move follows a six-month trial in Leeds using 20 modified Skoda Fabias, which found that volunteer drivers paid more attention as well keeping to the speed limit. More than 1,000 lives a year could be saved if the system was fitted to all Britain?s cars, say academics at Leeds University, who ran the trial on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT).

It is part of a two-year research project into ?intelligent speed adaptation? (ISA), which the department is funding at a cost of ?2m. Results of the initial trial will be presented to ministers this week.

A study commissioned by London?s transport planners has recommended that motorists who install it should be rewarded with a discount on the congestion charge, which tomorrow rises to ?8 a day.

The trial Skodas were fitted with a black box containing a digital map identifying the speed limits of every stretch of road in Leeds. A satellite positioning system tracked the cars? locations.

The device compared the car?s speed with the local limit ? displayed on the dashboard ? and sent a signal to the accelerator or brake pedal to slow if it was too fast. The system can be overridden to avoid a hazard.

?The trials have been incredibly successful,? said Oliver Carsten, project leader and professor of transport safety at Leeds University.

The DfT says it has no plans to make speed limiters mandatory but admits that it is considering creating a digital map of all Britain?s roads which would pave the way for a national ISA system.

Edmund King, of the RAC Foundation, said limiters might make motorists less alert: ?If you take too much control away the driver could switch on to autopilot.?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1678707,00.html

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The satellite-based system will monitor the speed limit and apply the brakes or cut out the accelerator if the driver tries to exceed it. A government-funded trial has concluded that the scheme promotes safer driving.

Automatic brakes yeah thats really going to make driving safer. What if you put your foot down to get out of the way of a truck that was out of control. My car brakes the truck hits me and im dead! Can't wait.

The system can be overridden to avoid a hazard.

I had to break the speed limit to avoid something. OK here is your fine anyway. Just another money making idea.

They WANT people to break the speed limit. It brings HUGE amounts of money and Speed Traps have already been proven in the UK to not reduce any accidents at all, in fact they have gone up. So the argument does not stand up, we should rip them all out and place like 20 of them outside EVERY SINGLE school.

It's about time these goverments started to treat us like full grown adults, like I passed my test that you set (the goverment), I have spent a small fortune on my car and all the TAX's , insurance etc. It is MY car. Yet I have to pay the goverment stupid amounts of cash to use it. Then more cash because I go walking speed over the speed limit.

WAKE UP PEOPLE. ITS NOT GETTING SAFER ITS GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE.

If you treat people like children they will rebel, keep treating them like chilldren and we will vote you out.

They are already trying to trick us into this in the UK. They are talking about a little black box that will monitor when/where and how you drive and bill you for insurance based on your habits, then they flick a switch and you will be getting fixed penalty's speeding fines landing in you mailbox, cus the system has deemed that you cannot get from A to B in that amount of time without braking the speed limit.

Edited by Ruffneckting
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Automatic brakes yeah thats really going to make driving safer. What if you put your foot down to get out of the way of a truck that was out of control. My car brakes the truck hits me and im dead! Can't wait.

586156174[/snapback]

It'll never happen in the U.S...

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what if a guy wants to take his pregnant wife or an injured child to the ER

Thats fine but you WILL pay the fines.

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Not feasible in any way, shape or form. Cars are engineered to be able to exceed "speed limits" for a 2 reasons; fun and safety.

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It'll never happen in the U.S...

586156175[/snapback]

It could. In the name of patriotism, of course. :whistle:

They can't make it mandatory, not because they're afraid of violating people's rights. They can't because no sane automaker will install them on their cars and trucks in fear of losing consumers.

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would you like to exceed the speed limit, doing so must be done only in extre-- WHAM!

that would make me feel alot safer!

this will not happen as they can't force everyone to upgrade their vehicle and there is no way to install it on the old ones without people being able to reverse engineer it.

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