hedgehog

More on ISA in the Times, i note with interest that the tender documents which indicated that the whole of the UK would be mapped by the end of September have vanished from the web!! Interesting in light of the comments in the following article. Some more info on the project here:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...029962-14.hcsp

The article from the Times today:

The Sunday Times - Britain

July 03, 2005

Forget cameras - spy device will cut drivers’ speed by satellite Dipesh Gadher, Transport Correspondent IT IS the ultimate back seat driver. Motorists face having their cars fitted with a “spy” device that stops speeding.

The satellite-based system will monitor the speed limit and apply the brakes or cut out the accelerator if the driver tries to exceed it. A government-funded trial has concluded that the scheme promotes safer driving.

Drivers in London could be among the first to have the “speed spy”
devices fitted. They would be offered a discount on the congestion charge if they use the system.

The move follows a six-month trial in Leeds using 20 modified Skoda Fabias, which found that volunteer drivers paid more attention as well keeping to the speed limit. More than 1,000 lives a year could be saved if the system was fitted to all Britain’s cars, say academics at Leeds University, who ran the trial on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT).

It is part of a two-year research project into “intelligent speed adaptation” (ISA), which the department is funding at a cost of £2m.
Results of the initial trial will be presented to ministers this week.

A study commissioned by London’s transport planners has recommended that motorists who install it should be rewarded with a discount on the congestion charge, which tomorrow rises to £8 a day.

The trial Skodas were fitted with a black box containing a digital map identifying the speed limits of every stretch of road in Leeds. A satellite positioning system tracked the cars’ locations.

The device compared the car’s speed with the local limit — displayed on the dashboard — and sent a signal to the accelerator or brake pedal to slow if it was too fast. The system can be overridden to avoid a hazard.

“The trials have been incredibly successful,” said Oliver Carsten, project leader and professor of transport safety at Leeds University.

The DfT says it has no plans to make speed limiters mandatory but admits that it is considering creating a digital map of all Britain’s roads which would pave the way for a national ISA system.

Edmund King, of the RAC Foundation, said limiters might make motorists less alert: “If you take too much control away the driver could switch on to autopilot.”

Diesel

I'm sure they said the same thing to speed limited truckers...once...

hedgehog

I can't believe they have started selling this line when up until recently you could see the tender document for the ISA mapping of the UK on the DfT web site. You could also read the "progress report" on the work which indicated that the mapping would be complete in September of this year. Now, all of a sudden and after several years work on the maps, we get quotes telling us that they are "considering creating a digital map" I think someone is being economical with the truth again, perhaps their plans are to sell the digital map to insurance companies and the like first. I can no longer find the tender document either, and the DfT site doesn't appear to be archived by the internet archive. When they start lying about something you can be pretty sure that the worst is true and that it isn't going to be to your advantage.

corradoboy

Isn't the average speed of traffic in Central London something like 8mph, lower than before the cars invention Really good idea testing it there then At least it's "not mandatory", but you can be sure that once it's available that insewer-rats companies will start to insist on it, a bit like they do with tracking devices now They may not make it a legal obligation, but it can be made difficult to avoid

TW@TS

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Hm... Carsten was unlikely to say, "the trials have highlighted serious inherent flaws in the system, I therefore resign and my research group is disbanded. Will the last one out please switch off the lights" - is he?

Last time this subject came up, I offered sample letters to anyone interested in writing to their MPs. Remember, if you object to the idea of a Government 'black box' being installed to take control of your car away from you, Scoobynet isn't the place to complain about it - your MP is the person who needs to hear your views.

The offer is still open. If you feel strongly about the issue, please take me up on it. I sent out about 50 copies of my last letter (on the subject of Road Pricing), which I don't think was a bad response at all - let's just hope they have the desired effect.

hedgehog

I must agree with AndyC that it is worth writing to your MP or local paper on this matter. It doesn't take much of your time but in the long term such things do have an impact. The government is releasing info on this to the press just to judge public reaction and to see where the problems will be. If they get a lot of negative reaction and this looks like it is going to be a big problem then they might revise timescales or even drop the idea. So although even 50 letters to MPs doesn't sound a lot it adds up to a lot when they meet in party central office and one says "I had a letter about that ISA thing the other day, it's new to me but the writer didn't like it." and several other MPs pipe up saying "funny enough I've had letters about that as well."

The amusing thing about Carsten is that his early research indicated that systems like ISA would result in a loss of concentration on the part of drivers with the potential for more accidents. Then he gets 2 million quid for his research and as if by magic ISA is the best thing since sliced bread.

At a more political level this technology interlocks nicely with ID cards and personal carbon allowances and such things.