At the end of last week, the city New York announced a revolutionary way to curb the problem of speeding with the help of speed limiters. Not only is it a first for the city, but also a huge upgrade from the efforts rolled out in Europe this year.
As part of a new six-month pilot program, 50 urban fleet vehicles are equipped with Active Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), which limits a vehicle’s maximum speed and prevents it from exceeding local speed limits.
If successful, the City of New York will expand the initiative to its entire fleet of 30,000 vehicles, including fire trucks, police vehicles, street cleaning trucks, paving stones and passenger cars, across 60 agencies.
What is a speed limiter and how does it work?
Hi there, EV nerd!
Sign up now for a weekly summary of our favorite mobility stories
A speed limiter (also called a speed controller or Intelligent Speed Assistant) is designed to prevent a vehicle’s speed from exceeding a certain threshold.
Intelligent speed assistants use traffic sign recognition cameras or a GPS map-linked system to detect speeding signs. The system warns the driver if he exceeds the speed limit, and in the case of active systems, if they do not slow down, it limits the engine torque, reducing the speed of the vehicle.
Active vs Passive ISAs
There are two modalities of ISA: active and passive.
With the active systemIf a fleet driver attempts to exceed the local speed limit, the ISA technology automatically activates and slows down the vehicle.
Alternatively, the passive system warns drivers when driving above the speed limit.
Wait, aren’t speed limiters already a thing in e-bikes and e-scooters?
They are. Rental scheme operators of e-scooters can already moderate the speed. For example, most riders start in beginner mode at a slower speed.
There are also variations in terms of location and time of day. In Paris, e-scooters are not allowed to exceed 10 km/h (6 mph) near tourist areas, while the current e-scooter test in London limits their speed to 19.3 km/h (12.5 mph).
The London trial also includes no-go zones where e-scooters come to a complete stop, and Slow Speed Zones where electric scooters automatically slow down to a walking speed of 12.8 km/h (8 mph).
Speed limits for e-bikes vary in the US and Europe depending on the classification of the type of bike – view this guide For more information. It is worth noting that, while not recommended, it is also possible to: remove the speed limiter of an ebike.
So why isn’t it a thing in all cars?!
It’s coming. In 2019, the EU passed legislation requiring all new vehicles to have an Intelligent Speed Assistance limiter. This is despite resistance of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.
From July 2022, ISAs became mandatory in Europe on all new cars, vans, trucks and buses. From July 2024, OEMs must equip every new vehicle sold in the EU with an ISA system.
This includes recording an event data recorder that records driving data. The data can determine whether a driver manually exceeded the speed limiter in an accident.
There are no legal steps to make ISA mandatory in US vehicles. However, many automakers have introduced them as part of their wider ADAS offering.
Already installed In trucks, speed limiters in gas truck engines to help reduce CO2 emissions. And because speeding consumes more fuel, a speed limiter can help reduce fuel costs.
Active ISAs may also help mitigate the impact of: ram a vehicle in built-up areas, such as city centers and during parades and markets.
But there is a downside.
Unfortunately, the EU speed limiters aren’t that restrictive
The EU regulators have opted for passive speed limitation devices. These warn the driver audibly or visually of the speed limit and when it is being exceeded. They do not automatically slow down the car and the driver can manually deactivate the system.
The European Transport Safety Council has: repeatedly pointed out that drivers find an audible warning irritating with a tendency to disengage the speed limiter. It states that “haptic feedback,” which uses increased force feedback on throttle actuation or engine reduction, are the only effective speed limiters.
Further, according to HERE TechnologiesISA systems that only use onboard cameras to record speed limits on signs may not meet the testing criteria of the ISA regulations. Signs can be visually obscured and many speed limits are not explicitly indicated.
So while ISAs aren’t mainstream in the US, New York City’s process does more to speed things up than the EU’s passive efforts. Even e-scooters are subject to more restrictions with their active speed limiters than cars in Europe! And that makes me feel damn uncomfortable.