EU to require carmakers to install speed limiters in all cars
New cars sold in Europe from 2022 will have to be fitted with systems to limit their speed.
Under new safety rules agreed by the European Union, all new vehicles are required to have “Intelligent Speed Assistance” systems as standard equipment.
The EU rules don’t mandate specific technology for the systems, which can be temporarily overridden by the driver. Some carmakers have already developed ways of using GPS or cameras to detect posted speed limits and make sure vehicles adhere to them.
European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska said in a statement that 25,000 people are killed each year on European roads, with the vast majority of accidents being caused by human error. [Hopefully no accidents will be caused by faulty or malfunctioning computer systems.]
“With the new advanced safety features that will become mandatory, we can have the same kind of impact as when the [seat]belts were first introduced,” she said.
The rules, which also mandate crash data recorders [black boxes] and reversing cameras, were hailed by safety advocates. But others raised concerns over the risk of drivers becoming complacent and less focused on the road conditions. [Others are opposed to Big Brother type control over their private vehicles.]
The European Automotive Manufacturers Association also has concerns about the technology. It warned last year of “many infrastructure-related issues holding back its widespread application.”
It said that road signs are not standardized across Europe, making speed limits difficult to detect. Digital maps lack speed limit information for many roads, and the data is not always current.
“That is why Intelligent Speed Assistance systems should be introduced gradually in cars to provide enough time to ｕpdate our infrastructure,” it said in December.
Intelligent speed assistance systems don’t automatically apply the brakes when a car is going too fast. Instead, they limit engine power to keep vehicles to the speed limit unless overridden by the driver.
Some European automakers see an advantage in limiting speeds.
Volvo, which is owned by China’s Geely, said earlier this month that it would its stop cars from going faster than 112 miles per hour. [Volvo will also install cameras in its cars from the early 2020s to monitor if drivers are drowsy or drunk – and bring the vehicle to a stop if this is the case.]
It said it is also considering other technology that could put stricter speed limits on cars driving near schools and hospitals.
“We want to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even an obligation to install technology in cars that changes their driver’s behavior,” Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson said at the time.
The EU rules must now be formally approved by member states and the European Parliament.
Image Source: https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/isa.jpg
Article Source: https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/world-current-events/world-3-eu-to-require-carmakers-to-install-speed-limiters-in-all-cars/
Vocabulary:
1. mandate / noun : a command or authorization to act in a particular way on a public issue given by the electorate to itsrepresentative:
2. detect / verb : to discover or catch (a person) in the performance of some act:
3. adhere / verb : to stay attached; stick fast; cleave; cling (usually followed by to):
4. infrastructure / noun : the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization
Questions:
1. list the who, what, where and when of the news item
2. What do the EU commissioners say is the reason for the new rule?
3. How do Intelligent Speed Assistance systems work?
4. What concerns does the European Automotive Manufacturers Association have about the technology?
5. What suggestion did the Association make?
6. The CEO of Volvo said, ”We want to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even an obligation to install technology in cars that changes their driver’s behavior.” Do you think it is a good idea for manufacturers to be in control of shaping drivers’ behavior? Explain your answer.
7. Fortune reports: “The Commission is also pitching the safety features as a stepping-stone toward a future of fully-automated vehicles. ‘The new advanced safety features will help drivers get gradually used to the new driving assistance,’ it said in a statement. ‘Increasing degrees of automation offer significant potential to compensate for human errors and offer new mobility solutions for the elderly and physically impaired. All this should enhance public trust and acceptance of automated cars, supporting the transition towards autonomous driving.’”
What is your reaction to this? Would it be the same if the U.S. government developed similar rules/laws? Explain your answer.
