A recent report by the Commission looks at the possible effects of rolling out speed limiters or Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) on all commercial vehicles. An ISA system would be able to limit the speed taking into account the differing speed limits on different roads.

The Commission has just published a positive report on the effects of Directive 92/6/EEC on speed limiters on Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and buses[1], and recommends looking into the possibility of introducing Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) of some kind in these vehicles. The report also looked at the possible effects of rolling out speed limiters or ISA on all commercial vehicles, including Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs and vans).

The debate at the moment here in the EU, and in the Commission report, concerns commercial vehicles and it would be a good start to get all commercial vehicles, including Light Goods Vehicles (vans) installed with speed limiters; but it would be even better to have them fitted with ISA.

The difference between speed limiters and ISA is that the limiters only stop the vehicle from going over a top speed. An ISA system would be able to limit the speed taking into account the differing speed limits on different roads. This would be preferable as it would prevent these vehicles from being able to speed in urban areas. Currently the limiters keep HGVs to 90 kph and buses to 100 kph; but this has little application for urban areas. ISA means safe, speed compliant vehicles on all roads.

Figures from the European Transport Safety Council ETSC[2] show that HGVs often have a mean speed on inter-urban roads higher than the posted speed limit, some also speed in urban areas. For example here in Belgium the share of HGV drivers who go beyond the speed limit lies at 61% for 50 kph roads and 93% for 30 kph roads! ISA would mean that this sort of dangerous driving could be eliminated, or at the very least drastically reduced.

So we believe that this technology should not just be limited to goods vehicles but should be seriously considered for all motorised vehicles. Speed is a major problem facing cyclists in Europe; being able to limit all motorised vehicles to the speed limits, particularly in urban areas, is something that the ECF has long supported and would be an excellent additional road safety management tool. Being hit at 50 kph gives you a 50% likelihood of surviving a collision with a motor vehicle; at 30 kph there is a 95% chance of surviving.

ISA technology can be used to either warn the driver that the speed limit has been reached or can physically stop the car from going over the speed limit.  We would welcome further research and the introduction of this technology into all EU vehicles; the technology exists and is already being used in some cars.

By genuinely bringing speeds down to 30 kph in urban areas we can make thousands of roads a great deal safer for cyclists without having to necessarily build extra infrastructure, a boon for today’s cash strapped authorities. Speed limiters for large goods vehicles are a good start and as the report seems to suggest it has made a contribution to making motorways safer. We believe that the EU should be looking to introduce better ISA technology on all vehicles to get everyone under the speed limit on all roads.