Annex 4
NOTE ON
FEASIBILITY OF
SPEED LIMITER
TECHNOLOGY
DTLR has funded research on External Vehicle
Speed Control (EVSC) that is mainly concerned with the technical
aspects of controlling vehicle speed. The full report is available
from the DTLR website: http://www.roads.dtlr.gov.uk/vehicle/vse/research/evsc/index.htm
This project was funded by the former DETR and
resulted in the current research on Intelligent Speed Adaptation
(ISA), another name for EVSC, as reported to the Committee in
the DTLR Memorandum. Whilst the Department has funded these research
projects as part of its vehicle safety research programme, there
is no policy on implementation of any such systems. It will be
for vehicle manufacturers to provide the technology in response
to public demand.
Speed limiting technology is already in use.
Large commercial vehicles and coaches have been limited to their
permitted maximum speeds for several years. More recent developments
mean that technologies exist for individual vehicles to be fitted
with equipment that could limit the maximum speed to any selected
value whether automatically or manually. The technology required
is a means of controlling the speed of the engine (and consequently
the vehicle), and electronic engine management, now common on
most new vehicles, enables this. Additionally braking intervention
can be introduced through systems such as electronic brake control
and antilock braking, also common on many vehicles, and this forms
part of the overall system that speed control might require. Knowing
where the vehicle is relative to posted speed limits is also necessary
and this could be achieved through GPS (satellite positioning
systems); the location capabilities and messaging capabilities
of mobile phone technology; and navigation systems that use digital
maps. The existence of these technologies means that it is perfectly
possible for a manufacturer to offer Intelligent Speed Adaptation
today.
However, it would be more effective and more
efficient, both in terms of life saving and cost, if there were
agreement on common methods of implementation. Regarding the activities
that would enable this the United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UN ECE) has introduced a performance standard for
the in-vehicle equipment; there are discussions in ERTICO (a European
association for the advancement of Transport Telematics) related
to speed management. ISO (the International Standards Organisation)
is discussing industry standards in this area. It is generally
accepted that a most useful enabling activity would be the creation
of a common digital map that contained speed limit information.
However, further research is required, and now
getting started, both on driver behaviour in long-term use of
EVSC and on technological aspects, including communications, reliability,
digital maps and vehicle control. Work at both a national and
European level is needed. The UK word is funded by DTLR. The European
aspect is particularly crucial for the EVSC technology, since
any future standards are likely to be enacted at a European level,
by for example UN ECE and CENELEC (the European electrical standards
body). It is also important for the political process, since both
the Commission and the European Parliament will have a role in
any decision to require mandatory fitment of EVSC, or ISA as it
is also called, on new vehicles.
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