I've had cars with both automated speed limit sign readers, GPS+map databases, and more show me two different speed limits and neither one was actually correct for the lane I was in. This is a somewhat common occurrence on the highways around me.
A few examples:
1) drive past the end of town sign in a particular German town, the car thinks it is 30kph, but only during the day because at night it doesn’t see the sign so it thinks it’s 50 where in reality it’s a 100 until the next speed limit,
2) driving between a couple of roundabouts inside of a town in the Netherlands, the car thinks it’s 30kph even though we stay within city limits and there’s no sign so the speed limit remains 50kph,
3) this is the funniest one so far… driving in Antwerpen along the Turhoutsebaan, there’s a massive 30 sign painted on a red painted road surface, the car insists that the speed limit is 50kph.
Those are just three out of a dozen examples happening consistently within 30 square kilometres I normally remain within. And I drive this car for 2.5 weeks. I have seen the future and I don’t like it. Number 2) happens routinely inside of the city limits after right or left turn. Car drops the speed limit to 30 just to realise a 100m down the road that it is 50.
Apologies for the ad hominem, I normally stay away from such tone. I genuinely hope that such pseudo cops like you get a grip. Because it’s my life you’re talking about and I already use speed limiter routinely. Every idiot around me on the road has exactly the same choice as me: curb the ego down and slow down or behave like a douche.
> but it would be even better if all cars' speed were automatically limited to the speed limit of each road
Yeah, you just described the ISA of 2027. This is going to be a tough year for car manufacturers. I forecast a ton of unsold new cars remaining on parking lots because one has to be really technically illiterate to buy something so dangerous willingly. Either full self driving or give full control. Everything in between is a disaster waiting to happen.
By the way, here’s a funny thought. So what is going to happen when that mythical zero casualties is reached and more people will be dying on bicycles than in car accidents? An implant in the brain? Where does it stop?
I don't think anything will need to happen at that point. We wouldn't need to tackle down the top causes of death if the numbers were low, as seems to be the case of bicycle deaths not caused by cars. And when it comes to speeding, it's already against the law, so the technology is only trying to help prevent it. But of course, my enthusiasm is tied to a future where this technology works reliably, so I don't really expect anything like it with all the problems you're describing with current models.
It’s also illegal to participate in the traffic drunk yet I routinely see drunk people riding bicycles and scooters in regular traffic, often ignoring traffic lights, often with their face glued to a phone. That’s half a problem, the other problem is those same people with those same things on the sidewalk. I bet you, a ton of those people do not even have a driving license and/or understanding of traffic rules. Humans will be humans. First they cry for cycling paths, when they get them, they don’t use them. Cannot win stupid.
As a pedestrian in the city I want scooters and bicycles regulated AND enforced. But nobody cares. I stopped counting how many times I have to do acrobatics to walk around scooters and bicycles left in the middle of the sidewalk.
It would also give local governments a power they never had before: To directly control your behavior in the moment, with no judicial control or oversight.
No, thank you.
The only question that matters is would it result in fewer road deaths? I bet the answer is yes.
In the US every single day 100 families are torn apart by a death on the road. I’m sure you don’t want it to be yours.
Neither you nor me live in the US. They have other options to reduce those deaths. There’s no reason to drive a 4 ton EV truck made out of stainless steel doing 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds.
Speed doesn’t kill, it’s the sudden stopping that does.
I live in Europe. Regulations here make Teslas slam on the brakes when the road is curved by more than x degrees, and break off a lane change apruptly if they take longer than x seconds. The intentions behind these rules written by some buerocrat in Brussels surely were as good as those behind the cookie banner.
I’m glad I still get to override those rules with my pedals and steering wheel.
The system can tell you if there was a runaway truck (at your time and location), so an appeal should be easy for that uncommon situation.
- Speed of every car on the road is recorded continuously.
- If you stay within the limit, you pay nothing. For each second that you are faster than the limit, you incur some financial penalty, where the amount is calculated based on both the speed difference and the purpose of the limit (pedestrian safety vs. noise pollution, for example). In extreme cases, you can lose your drivers license.
- Speed data is also made available to your insurance. So drivers know they won’t get away with somebody else paying for any damage they may cause.
As a driver, I very much prefer this not to exist. But I think it would be the right thing from a “veil of ignorance” perspective of justice.
Earlier it said I was on a 30mph road despite being on a 20mph road
What is the speed limit in that field?
Would a car suffer from similar problems? Should it continue at the original rate of speed or slam the brakes?
Did the same with two other phones. Car play takes the location from the car rather than the phone.