Everything that is annoying about the now mandatory speed limiter

The mandatory speed limiter will cause more irritation than it will save lives.

Soon we will all have to face it: ISA. That is not only the name of your highschool crush, but also that of a system that your highschool crush turns into when you marry it. A compulsive annoying system that will monitor and correct you.

The whole idea is of course completely off the wall. Somewhere, a few bigwigs in Brussels have decided that this package of measures is an improvement. And you know, we are not going to go all George Orwell on the EU. That’s what Thierry Baudet and his wappies are for. The original intentions of the EU may be noble, but we all know that the implementation is at the expense of the citizen or consumer. That’s you.

Because everyone already knows that the system will cause so much resistance that everyone can turn it off. That is still possible now. The big problem is the problem that already exists, because traffic sign recognition is often reasonably well informed, but certainly not flawless. The problem is that if you are driving 1 km/h too fast in a 50 km/h zone, the car will beep. But also if the system has missed a sign and you are allowed to drive 80 km/h. Then you have to turn that system off while driving.

Mandatory speed limiter

It’s always nice to scroll through the menus while driving – while everyone behind you is getting impatient. The funny thing is, the EU has taken that into account. According to them, the margin of error is 5%. But suppose that is really the case, then it is still very annoying when the system is wrong. So the EU has heard your comments and they are doing absolutely nothing with them.

So, short of emigrating to a banana republic, what are your options? Well, let’s hope manufacturers come up with a central button that allows you to turn off all systems at once. A bit like Saab’s Night Panel. Saab did it as a kind of spasmodic link to the planes, so that the pilot can concentrate on what was happening in the air. But then again, everyone can sense that there’s a good chance that the system will one day become permanent and will always be watching you like an angry mother-in-law.

Well done, guys!

Finally, we would like to congratulate the members of the EU. Thanks to this unnecessary package of measures, it is impossible for manufacturers to build small cars. And while we can certainly be happy for safer cars, the EU (as usual) goes way too far. Because seriously, parking sensors are now mandatory on all new cars! Come on! Lane assist, various warning systems and a reversing camera as well. The only mandatory items that make sense are an emergency braking system, improved seat belts and an alcohol lock.

Again, the intentions may be noble; the EU will undoubtedly have the best intentions. Does no one now realize that a terrible measure is being taken for a non-existent problem? Anyway, driving is thus becoming the bastion of the illusion of acquired freedoms. Lest we forget. Buy a fat used car on Marktplaats while you still can.

What do you think? Is the mandatory speed limiter a curse or a blessing? Let us know in the comments!

Photo credits: yellow 992 GT3 on the highway for @carphotograpgydm via Car Whiz Spots.

Comments

1. b00st say

   That SAAB button was ultimate! When I see how often the traffic sign recognition goes wrong here in BE (mainly due to bad placement, e.g. at an exit, not due to the technology itself), then it is a very bad idea. It will be easy to tackle speeding drivers in your street, just make a 30 sign and done.

2. heckblende say

   Everything that is annoying about the now mandatory speed limiter: all the articles and the accompanying complaints, and especially the mention of “privacy”

3. know say

   Well, I’m not convinced about that emergency brake system either. I’ve had it happen several times that the car reacts to a parked one and then you can hope that the person behind it is paying attention.

4. El_Bastardo say

   Oscar Wilde said it so beautifully: “The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy.”

5. marcomanta say

   There will soon be a scale under your chair…

6. O plate say

   If you do the sum. Cameras with facial recognition everywhere, a car that continuously monitors your behavior, a bill to store and monitor every message and photo you send,.. Compared to where the EU is going, the KGB was a bunch of weed smoking hippies.

   • Richmond say

     Because the KGB did not have this technology available.

7. petrol drinker say

   I can think of few good things to come from the EU, apart from the introduction of the euro… this is yet another example of why we can do better without the EU than with…

   more than 15 years ago in Kuwait (I think the whole GCC) you already had a similar system, above the maximum speed of the country it would beep (depending on the brand how or what, mitsubishi always stayed, toyota between 120 and 130 only beep, and other cars did 3 beeps and that’s it), but it had no influence on the car, did not look at cameras where speeds are different etc., no only at 120 which is the maximum speed anyway, much better system, and it also did not limit power and hold you back like the plans of the EU of course are for even more control over the behavior of citizens…

   • Richmond say

     Without the EU we would have a lot less trade here in the Netherlands and since we mainly live from trade and not from our own industry to keep our pants up, you can thank the EU for a lot. Regarding cars, the obligation of safety issues such as seat belts, airbags, abs, it cannot be denied that this is good. And without obligations, this would really not have been a common good. And would the cars be better without the ncap and most (not all) euro emission rules? Simpler is not necessarily better either.

8. wimbers say

   I have it in my car too, but then as a setting (car from 2016) I can set it to beep when I drive 5 km too fast, but also only when I drive 30 km too fast, I can set it to sound, visual, both, or the best setting, completely off!!

9. Dutchdriftking say

   Long live the chip tuners….

10. potver7 say

    Any manufacturer that uses this package of safety measures as an argument that they can no longer make small cars, I think, underestimates the buying public. Sure, all these things cost money, but not so much that small cars become unaffordable.

    And parking sensors have been on small cars for years.

    As for ISA: if the EU says the margin of error is 5%, then I would assume that in practice it is more like 10-15%. But okay, that goes both ways, and you don’t have to worry about a false negative (until the fine arrives)

    The system does require European governments to ensure that speed signs are well maintained. How often are signs damaged, faded, gone or hidden behind other signs or vegetation…

11. SvenB say

    Ideal with a new v60.
    One push of a button on the steering wheel and it’s off.