Black Box to the next level

[5vz-fe]

Forget cameras - spy device will cut drivers’ speed by satellite
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.”

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...678707,00.html

That is by far the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Its so funny that they say the system can be overridden to aviod a hazzard. I suppose by a button or something. Every fraction of a second is critical in a hazzardous situation, and I would not want to waste precious time in press ing some stupid button that is not suppose to be there to begin with. Total sucess my ass.

[RC45]

Fantastic!!!

I predicted this about 2 years ago

People laughed and said "Never Happen!!!"

If I was given such a car I would drive flat out the entire way - just like driving a rental bouncing off the rev limiter and speed limiter.

[pharzo]

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.

Haha, it accelerates you if you're going to slow...yeah i'm sure that'll last :roll:

If this was ever made mandatory...i'd just quit driving. Take up cycling. It's healthier, and you'd get there faster. Don't these people realize that the point of a car is to get places fast

edit: Actually, screw what i said. I'd go down to the local library, pick up on some electrical engineering, and disable the sucker

[5vz-fe]

No thanks, we already something like that in Canada, it always follows the speed limit and have very little accidents....it's call the SUBWAY!!!

[Wutputt]

Originally Posted by 5vz-fe The system can be overridden to avoid a hazard.

It would be a hazardous situation all the time with me

[graywolf624]

Talk about a security risk, imagine the cost of a crash or miscalculation there.

Meanwhile we all know that speed doesnt cause accidents, but hey, it sure does fund local municipalities.

[5vz-fe]

As pharzo pointed out, it will speed u up if you are driving too slow. Imagine u are visiting a friend and u are looking for his house plate and the car start speeding u up to the speed limit LOL!! It makes me wonder what kinda of test did they conduct to determine this is a successful garbage.

[RC45]

It's a British road safety device - I will let the UK members explain to you how the people behind ALL UK road rules and laws are the most brain dead fuckers on the planet.. heheh

[gucom]

ok if im not mistaken, sattelites cant connect with things in tunnels...so if the geniuses who came up with this plan would care to guess where there'd suddenly be MASSIVE speeding...and where you want that to happen least of all...hey yeah in tunnels maybe?? :roll: man fucking idiots...and yes i would just disable the thingy...they cant make it mandatory can they? they cant make it so that htey automatically see on a screen if you turn it off, and where you are? that'd be a breach of privacy i think...

[5vz-fe]

^I am sure there are accelerometers within that blackbox that uses the last GPS signal recieved to protrait your position.

Unlikely it would ever happen, too potentially unpopular for any government to have the guts to implement it. have to agree its damn dangerous as far as i'm concerned too, people who constantly watch the speedo are VERY dangerous for one thing, and other points mentioned here are worrying. Also for gps from what i've read its not accurate on gradients anyway, so how they have gotten round that i don't know, i presume that it is a gps speedo device.

[Squeek]

lol i have a feeling its going to be as popular as the ID cards being introduced in the UK (not very at the moment). If ID cards are not to be implemented, what are the chances of car blackboxes? i feel there may be a backlash of all the drivers on the globe, speeding everywhere, do i blame them? no. a car doesnt say 150mph on the dash for nothing