A significant new EU regulation designed to reduce speeding and improve road safety is set to take effect for all new cars sold in the European Union from 7 July 2024. This legislation requires that manufacturers install Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology in their vehicles, with various implementation options available, including systems that can automatically restrict a car’s speed.
How This Affects the UK
The UK’s Department for Transport has confirmed that this regulation will be enforced in Northern Ireland. While England, Scotland, and Wales are not subject to this requirement, it is expected that most new cars sold across the UK will still include ISA technology as standard.
Read on to discover more about the regulation, the ISA technology, and its implications for drivers.
What is Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA)?
Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) uses a combination of GPS data and camera recognition of speed signs to determine speed limits on the road. Depending on the configuration, the system can either restrict the vehicle’s speed or provide warnings—either visually or audibly—when the speed limit is exceeded.
ISA has been mandatory for new car models introduced since July 2022, and from 7 July 2024, all new cars sold in the EU and Northern Ireland will need to comply, irrespective of their launch date.
Manufacturers have the flexibility to choose from several ISA system options, such as sound alerts, vibrations, feedback through the accelerator pedal, or direct speed control. Under the new regulation, these systems must activate automatically whenever the car is started and cannot be permanently turned off.
For those systems that automatically limit speed, drivers have the ability to temporarily override the limiter by pressing firmly on the accelerator. However, the limiter will reactivate each time the car is restarted.
Why Is This Law Being Introduced?
This regulation is being implemented based on recommendations from the European Transport Safety Council, a not-for-profit organisation that believes mandatory ISA technology could reduce road deaths in Europe by as much as 20%. The European Commission also highlights additional benefits of ISA, including the potential for lower insurance premiums, reduced CO2 emissions, and a general slowdown of older cars that do not have ISA technology.
Although the UK has exited the EU, the regulation will still apply in Northern Ireland. While ISA will not be a legal requirement in England, Scotland, and Wales, it is anticipated that most car manufacturers will include the technology in their vehicles as standard.
How Accurate is Speed Limit Detection?
ISA technology relies on GPS and camera systems to accurately detect speed limits. However, tests have shown that the system is not always reliable. Issues have been reported, such as misreading speed limits on dual carriageways, confusing nearby road speed limits, or incorrectly registering speeds, like displaying 80 mph in 30 mph zones.
Industry Response
Many car manufacturers, including Citroën, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo, have already begun incorporating ISA technology in some of their models. Additionally, the Renault Group has taken further steps to promote safety by capping the maximum speed of all new Renault and Citroën vehicles at 112 mph.
This regulation represents a significant step towards safer roads and a reduction in speed-related accidents, reflecting a growing commitment across Europe to embrace new technologies that support responsible driving.