New technology could prevent drivers from speeding

JOPLIN, Mo. — In the U.S. and in countries all over the world, speeding is one of the leading causes of severe road accidents. Speeding doesn’t only increase the chances of losing control or crashing into other vehicles, but it also increases the severity of crashes when they occur.

A new technology called Intelligent Speed Assistance could play a big role in reducing the number of auto accidents due to speeding.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Intelligent Speed Assistance or Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) involves in-vehicle technologies that use GPS data interacting with accurate, digitally mapped speed limit data for the entire network or vehicle-based speed limit sign recognition. ISA systems can vary from small systems that provide information, to active speed limit control that could be mandatory or voluntary (i.e., with on/off activation switches).

The NHTSA — who’s now calling for this new technology to reduce speeding in all new cars — says ISA systems may:

• Provide information only (display the speed limit and changes).

• Provide visual or audible alerts when the speed limit is exceeded, but the driver can decide how to react (termed open system).

• Provide accelerator resistance to make speeding more difficult, but still possible (termed half-open). This system is like cruise control, except the speed limit (not the driver) determines when to engage speed resistance. Drivers may be able to turn off the system with a switch.

• Automatically prevent speeding above the speed limit (mandatory speed compliance).

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Law enforcement officials say the technology would help to reduce the number of fatal crashes due to speeding.

“I think speeding has always been a problem for law enforcement. Somebody always has to get where they’re going, fast, for whatever reason. Excessive speed has been a probable contributing factor to several of our serious injury and fatality crashes,” says Webb City Police Chief Don Melton.

Chief Melton says the ISA system would help drivers adapt to new speed limit changes, including areas where construction has transformed the layout of roadways.

“Just a year or so ago, we reduced the speed on Madison from 45 to 40 miles an hour, because we were seeing so many crashes at stop lights in that 45 mile an hour zone, and those crashes were fairly serious,” says Chief Melton.

As of 2022, Intelligent Speed Assistance technology is already mandated in Europe for all new vehicles. The ISA system is required to work with the driver and not to restrict the driver to act when behind the wheel.

But when it comes to the possibility of active ISA systems, many in the U.S. feel the technology would go too far and limit their freedom of movement. Some may argue that the technology could hinder a quick getaway during an emergency situation.

“It’s the same as what we saw with the seatbelt law that started to change across the U.S. People saw that as an infringement on their personal decision whether to use a seatbelt or not. With this, I think people could see it as an infringement on their choice to either follow the speed limit law or not. So, I definitely think there’ll be some push back as far as that goes,” said Cherokee County Sheriff, David Groves.

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Both Sheriff Groves and Police Chief Melton say some form of Intelligent Speed Assistance is better than nothing at all.

“I think a lot of times, especially with newer vehicles, it’s easier to drive over the speed limit and not realize that you’re going as fast as you are. So, I think this would help those conscientious drivers from unintentionally driving over the speed limit,” says Sheriff Groves.

“Anything that will help make drivers more safe, I would be in favor of. Obviously this is a new technology, so I’m not sure how well proven it is yet, but it seems like a neat idea that could ultimately save lives,” says Chief Melton.

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