News

EU: Speed limiters in new cars to become mandatory

From 2024, all new cars registered in the EU will have to be equipped with speed limiters. These are designed to prevent or at least make it more difficult to break speed limits.

Monitoring systems slow down vehicle

The operating principle of such speed limiters is quite simple: they are supposed to detect the respective applicable speed limit and regulate the vehicle’s speed as a result. In concrete terms, this means that they are technically intended to prevent drivers from exceeding the speed limit. However, this is not done by jerky automatic braking, but in a gentler way: they either adjust the cruise control to the applicable speed limit or influence the engine output. The brakes, on the other hand, are never applied by them. The accelerator pedal is no longer supposed to react when the regulation device kicks in.

The EU sees the new regulation as an important step toward greater road safety: “The introduction […] is a major step forward for road safety and has the potential to drastically reduce the number of injuries and fatalities on the roads. Automakers now have the opportunity to maximize the potential […] for creating safer roads for all.” Once again, this invokes the ever-discussed dichotomy of safety and freedom. It is striking that the EU is clearly on the side of safety, but does not want to completely abandon its focus on freedom as a value. For example, the speed limiters that will be prescribed from 2024 will offer the option of overdriving: if the accelerator pedal is pressed down hard, the speed limit can still be exceeded. However, this will be followed by an audible warning from the assistance system. Overall, however, the EU is thus continuing to pursue its strategy of making more and more assistance systems mandatory.

Self-restraint by the car industry?

The rule also raises the question of whether the auto industry will agree to voluntary self-restraint. In the history of motorized road transport, such self-restrictions have already occurred more frequently – for example, for the maximum speed of cars or the maximum horsepower of motorcycles. Against the background of the new regulation, it could possibly become attractive for car manufacturers to voluntarily go further than the EU prescribes. Whether this option will actually be used, however, remains to be seen.

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

Related Articles

Neue Antworten laden...

Avatar of Basic Tutorials
Basic Tutorials

Gehört zum Inventar

6,229 Beiträge 1,874 Likes

From 2024, all new cars registered in the EU will have to be equipped with speed limiters. These are designed to prevent or at least make it more difficult to break speed limits. Monitoring systems slow down vehicle The operating principle of such speed limiters is quite simple: they are supposed to detect the respective … (Weiterlesen...)

Antworten Like

Back to top button