Intelligent Speed Adaptation

5 January 2009

Over the past few days there have been a number of views expressed on the value of Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA)

The Guardian reported that ISA has been tested in the UK over 355,000 miles of driving on roads where the speed limit was known. It referred to a report by the Commission for Integrated Transport and the Motorists' Forum has recommended and reported that Speed limiters should be fitted to cars and lorries on a voluntary basis to reduce carbon emissions and cut accidents.

The innovation - using satellite navigation technology to read the road's speed limit and adjust the vehicle's accelerator – has been given a cautious welcome by the DfT.

Using the system on urban roads with a 30mph limit could increase fuel consumption and emissions, because cars operate more efficiently above that speed, the study acknowledges. But there should be significant reductions on roads where the limit is 70mph.

The potential reductions in injury accidents that could be saved through the usage of ISA (at 100% penetration, overridable ISA would reduce the number of injury accidents by 12% and mandatory ISA by 29%) means that serious consideration should be given to the voluntary introduction of this technology.

RoadSafe is keen to promote voluntary use of ISA particularly by company fleets.

The full Motorists’ Forum report can be found here.