1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164 
Speed limiter trials in Leeds
Page 17
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• by Robin Mums New trials looking at how drivers behave when their speeds are controlled via a CPS tracking system have just begun In Leeds, The research, sponsored by the Department for Transport (Dff) and being carried out jointly by the University of Leeds and MIRA, will examine how driving habits change when local speed restrictions are automatically detected by the system, and vehicle speed Is limited accordingly.
GPS tracking is used to determine where the vehicle is and what the current speed limit is. A dashboard display warns drivers 01' the speed restrictions in force, and connections to the vehicle controls make the accelerator pedal vibrate if drivers try and exceed local limits—unless they opt out of the system, brake or stop accelerating.
Opting in or out can be done at any time via buttons on the steering wheel. The system can also be overridden by a kickdown on the accelerator.
Twenty drivers have begun using specially-adapted vehicles for six months with their driving patterns logged by computer in the first of four phases to the trial. Eighty drivers will be tested in all.
Oliver Carsten, professor of transport safety at the University of Leeds, says: "We believe this kind of technology can contribute to road safety. If all drivers kept to the speed limit, deaths on the road would fall by 37%—that's over 1,200 each year. This is one way to help people know what the limit is and keep to it if they choose."
Road safety minister David Jamieson denies the government is thinking of enforcing the technology nationwide. "We're not planning to make the use of speed limiting technology mandatory, but we're keen to see what we can learn from this trial," he says.