Manufacturers aren’t required to use speed limiter software, the law allows for cars to only play alert sounds when a driver is breaking speed limits. I rented a 2024 Mercedes in Europe recently that beeped when you were speeding, but otherwise didn’t do any active safety measures.
Also, while these speeding alerts are on by default, they can easily be disabled, so most people who understand how to configure their car will probably turn them off.
Plenty of articles online with drivers freaking out that they’re being punished for breaking speed limit laws, and explaining how to turn off the alerts.
Compare to ebikes in the EU, where all (legally-imported) ebikes will turn off their motors above 25-30 kmh, and firmware hacking the system to disable it is illegal unless you register it as a moped. Disabling the speed limiter is illegal even if you are riding it on 50 km/h streets where it is legal and safe to go faster.
that beeped when you were speeding, but otherwise didn’t do any active safety measures.
You didn’t read the link before typing that long ass incorrect reply 👎
Your car didn’t have a speed limiter. It just had a warning system. Older cars, pre 2024, have those too.
It will be an active limiter, that will stop the car from accelerating, and drivers will have to floor the gas pedal when they need extra speed overtaking cars.
“The system then limits the engine’s power and the vehicle’s speed to that limit.
…
You can override the system by pressing hard on the accelerator, but the system will reactivate every time the car is started.”
I did read the link, and I also read other sources about Intelligent Speed Assist.
Intelligent Speed Assist is not necessarily a speed limiter, unless the EC has created new guidelines since 2024 that require hard speed limiters.
Sure, speed limiters aren’t required on ebikes either when you’re not on a public road, but 99.9% of vehicle usage is on public roads, even for racecar enthusiasts. EU regulation makes it very easy for manufacturers to make cars that double as racecars, since ISA can be disabled easily by the user. But neither racecars nor e-bikes are meant to race on public roads. ISA clearly does not go far enough.
There are much bigger issues with car safety than just speeding, I just wanted to point out that we knowingly allow car drivers to kill people with reckless driving on increasingly more complex and more dangerous machines. And we as a society are very resistant to any harm reduction tools that would prevent drivers from breaking speed limits, or otherwise adapt cars to fit better in the cities where they’re driven. Even historically-large 2-door economy cars are referred to as “clown cars”.
The reality is that the modern car is a high speed impact-armored vehicle designed for intercity cruising at speeds traditionally reserved for trained professionals. They are increasingly unsuitable for the intraurban environments they spend the vast majority of their time in. Cars might be important in rural areas, but personal mobility needs more variety than just cars, walking and the occasional sport cyclist.
Here is a video about intermediary vehicles that used to exist, but were abandoned immediately as soon as we could build something faster.
Until the average car driver gets some self-understanding about the vehicles they operate, modern cars do not belong in civilized urban neighborhoods at all. Speed limiters are just the tip of the iceberg.
Manufacturers aren’t required to use speed limiter software, the law allows for cars to only play alert sounds when a driver is breaking speed limits. I rented a 2024 Mercedes in Europe recently that beeped when you were speeding, but otherwise didn’t do any active safety measures.
Also, while these speeding alerts are on by default, they can easily be disabled, so most people who understand how to configure their car will probably turn them off.
Plenty of articles online with drivers freaking out that they’re being punished for breaking speed limit laws, and explaining how to turn off the alerts.
Compare to ebikes in the EU, where all (legally-imported) ebikes will turn off their motors above 25-30 kmh, and firmware hacking the system to disable it is illegal unless you register it as a moped. Disabling the speed limiter is illegal even if you are riding it on 50 km/h streets where it is legal and safe to go faster.
You didn’t read the link before typing that long ass incorrect reply 👎
Your car didn’t have a speed limiter. It just had a warning system. Older cars, pre 2024, have those too.
It will be an active limiter, that will stop the car from accelerating, and drivers will have to floor the gas pedal when they need extra speed overtaking cars.
“The system then limits the engine’s power and the vehicle’s speed to that limit. … You can override the system by pressing hard on the accelerator, but the system will reactivate every time the car is started.”
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/content/news/mandatory-speed-limiters-on-eu-cars-from-2024?refresh=true
Also, re. mopeds and ebikes - no one goes on race tracks with those.
I go on a racetrack with my car, and wouldn’t be fun driving 80mph on a track.
I did read the link, and I also read other sources about Intelligent Speed Assist.
Intelligent Speed Assist is not necessarily a speed limiter, unless the EC has created new guidelines since 2024 that require hard speed limiters.
Sure, speed limiters aren’t required on ebikes either when you’re not on a public road, but 99.9% of vehicle usage is on public roads, even for racecar enthusiasts. EU regulation makes it very easy for manufacturers to make cars that double as racecars, since ISA can be disabled easily by the user. But neither racecars nor e-bikes are meant to race on public roads. ISA clearly does not go far enough.
There are much bigger issues with car safety than just speeding, I just wanted to point out that we knowingly allow car drivers to kill people with reckless driving on increasingly more complex and more dangerous machines. And we as a society are very resistant to any harm reduction tools that would prevent drivers from breaking speed limits, or otherwise adapt cars to fit better in the cities where they’re driven. Even historically-large 2-door economy cars are referred to as “clown cars”.
The reality is that the modern car is a high speed impact-armored vehicle designed for intercity cruising at speeds traditionally reserved for trained professionals. They are increasingly unsuitable for the intraurban environments they spend the vast majority of their time in. Cars might be important in rural areas, but personal mobility needs more variety than just cars, walking and the occasional sport cyclist.
Here is a video about intermediary vehicles that used to exist, but were abandoned immediately as soon as we could build something faster.
https://youtu.be/7NxFBbLSOzs
Until the average car driver gets some self-understanding about the vehicles they operate, modern cars do not belong in civilized urban neighborhoods at all. Speed limiters are just the tip of the iceberg.