From next month, it will be mandatory for all new cars introduced on the market to have a speed limiter, and all new cars sold from July 2024 must have it.
They say this is to among other things to reduce traffic accidents and to save the environment.
Going to have to pass on anything that is that hackable having control over anything in my life. You just know there are people out there that take joy in screwing with other people.
I'm sure that will go over well with the Germans. All those autobahns and having to drive at a fraction of the speed they had before this nonsense went into effect? I expect an uprising.
The Jag's, BMW's, Mercedes, Volvo, and Porsha have been doing it for years. They all have adopted a 165 mph limiter. It is easily defeated but finding a stretch of the German Autobahn with no restrictions that doesn't have a construction zone in it is almost impossible.
My 45th birthday the wife game me 20 laps at Atlanta Motor speedway in a somewhat detuned Nascar. I was averaging 165 on the track in the number 47 Kingsford Ford. Two weeks latter I had a job on Germany where my Hertz status let me upgrade to a Jag XK. I found it was electronically limited to 165 mph. The interesting thing was during wide open throttle when the ignition cut off at 165 mph the acceleration would carry the car up to 172 mph, all on the company expense report. I was there for two months thrashing the XK on the Autobahn and two trips for easy drives on the Nirenberg Ring.
We have a 2010 Acadia which I took out and floored it. Got up to 112 mph and got a message that said "Have reached 113. Slowing down" and the speed dropped to 111 mph. Limiters have been in the US for a while.
Yeah, I'm going to have to stick to classic cars. I'll say it right now that the speed limiters have nothing to do with safety and, in the future, your "top speed" will probably be limited based on your social credit score. I've noticed two old school Cadillacs in town recently and another place has a project frame out front. There may come a day when you can only drive X miles based on your SCS as well, speed limited, or even restricted movement.
Mostly off topic, but: I keep a lot of old tech for sentimental value and I'm very happy that I have kept it today. I adore my DeskJest 3631 "dumb" printer that simply plugs in and works and I thought the 2752e would be similar. (budge model). Nope. That infernal thing CAN'T be setup with a USB cable + driver and requires what amounts to "activation" over the internet and only by wifi/bluetooth; something the desktops don't have. It wanted its exact GEO-location and an always-on internet connection for the chip-cartridge scam, before it would print anything. Took plenty of hours to get it working with my phone (pocket snitch).
When the ink runs out, I think I'll just order a Chineseium (chip-less) printer for my mother.
I'm effectively done with technology that isn't purely mechanical or included only the absolutely necessary PCBs to make it functional. Learning how to make stuff at home and keeping my old tech.
This rule isn't about installing a device to limit how fast you can drive, it's a speed limit reminder in case you don't know what the speed limit is where you are driving. A modern GPS Navi can be set-up to do the same thing. And German cars have had this feature going back over decade as a feature that can be selected by the driver to remind them if they go over the posted speed. This is from a 2007 Audi A5 -
Select: Function selector button CAR > Instrument cluster > Speed warning. Speed warning on/off - to activate or deactivate the speed warning function. Speed warning - to set the speed above which a warning signal will sound. Speed limit warning 2 can be adjusted in increments of 10 km/h between 30 and 240 km/h.
All this regulation does is make it an automatic reminder not a manual one -
"The ISA system is required to work with the driver and not to restrict his/her possibility to act in any moment during driving. The driver is always in control and can easily override the ISA system."
In fact, since this feature is automatic it's actually a benefit to the driver as it will alert you if you are going faster than the posted speed limit where ever you are. Thus avoiding getting blitzed and receiving a speeding fine because you weren't paying attention to the speed limit or didn't happen to notice you are now in a slower zone and for what ever reason, didn't see the sign - possibly leading to a speeding fine.
And to be honest, on roads between towns, it is not uncommon from the speeds to fluctuate between 100kph, down to 70, 60. If you don't happen to see the sign because you were simply not paying attention as we all do from time to time, you could easily get blitzed. And since France and the NL recently lowered their country road speed from 100kph to 90kph, this feature is a nice way to be reminded automatically when you cross borders.
This feature will actually help us avoid getting blitzed and helps us not have to pay a fine because we happened to be unaware the speed limit had changed!
How great is that!
At least here in Europe, if I do get blitzed by a speed camera, I simply continue along my way, and a week later I get a letter in the mail and a 10-Euro fine. Not like in America where the police pull you over on a dangerous freeway with cars zipping past, just so they can harass you, search the vehicle illegally and use Civil Forfeiture laws to steal your property without due process.
It's another conspiracy! The more car crashes there are, the more stuff big pharma and their co-conspirators will sell. They think we don't know what they're up to.but . . . hang on, there's a black SUV drawing up outside.
My Japanese motorcycle (JDM model) has a speed limiter of 112 mph. I've hit it once in the past 6 years. Too much traffic and I'm getting too old, but 112 is plenty fast. Traffic in Houston generally runs 80 to 90 mph then sudden stop and parking lot level jam due to construction on every frigging major highway here.
Also, back in the day, my 63 Ford had the old analog speed limiter. 70 mph top speed in 3rd due to the 115 hp straight six, 3 on the tree, and no A/C. But you could downshift to 2nd and get up to 80 if you had a long enough straight road. Always a way.
Going to have to pass on anything that is that hackable having control over anything in my life. You just know there are people out there that take joy in screwing with other people.
ReplyDeleteLike governments.
DeleteI'm sure that will go over well with the Germans. All those autobahns and having to drive at a fraction of the speed they had before this nonsense went into effect? I expect an uprising.
ReplyDeleteOne more reason to keep driving my 04.
ReplyDeleteThe value of my truck just increased.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if automakers will rig the device so if its tampered with it notifies the Stasi.
This is not going to amuse Clarkson, May, and the Hamster--although Captain Slow might not notice.
ReplyDelete--Tennessee Budd
Maybe they’ll learn to appreciate Brexit.
DeleteI see a growth industry in aftermarket chips/wiring.
ReplyDeleteThe Jag's, BMW's, Mercedes, Volvo, and Porsha have been doing it for years. They all have adopted a 165 mph limiter. It is easily defeated but finding a stretch of the German Autobahn with no restrictions that doesn't have a construction zone in it is almost impossible.
ReplyDeleteMy 45th birthday the wife game me 20 laps at Atlanta Motor speedway in a somewhat detuned Nascar. I was averaging 165 on the track in the number 47 Kingsford Ford. Two weeks latter I had a job on Germany where my Hertz status let me upgrade to a Jag XK. I found it was electronically limited to 165 mph. The interesting thing was during wide open throttle when the ignition cut off at 165 mph the acceleration would carry the car up to 172 mph, all on the company expense report. I was there for two months thrashing the XK on the Autobahn and two trips for easy drives on the Nirenberg Ring.
We have a 2010 Acadia which I took out and floored it. Got up to 112 mph and got a message that said "Have reached 113. Slowing down" and the speed dropped to 111 mph. Limiters have been in the US for a while.
ReplyDeleteSuddenly I'm regretting selling my 2003 Honda Element.
ReplyDeleteA new law passed maybe a couple of months ago, all new cars in the US, beginning in '26, will be required to have a remote kill switch on board.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm going to have to stick to classic cars. I'll say it right now that the speed limiters have nothing to do with safety and, in the future, your "top speed" will probably be limited based on your social credit score. I've noticed two old school Cadillacs in town recently and another place has a project frame out front. There may come a day when you can only drive X miles based on your SCS as well, speed limited, or even restricted movement.
ReplyDeleteMostly off topic, but: I keep a lot of old tech for sentimental value and I'm very happy that I have kept it today. I adore my DeskJest 3631 "dumb" printer that simply plugs in and works and I thought the 2752e would be similar. (budge model). Nope. That infernal thing CAN'T be setup with a USB cable + driver and requires what amounts to "activation" over the internet and only by wifi/bluetooth; something the desktops don't have. It wanted its exact GEO-location and an always-on internet connection for the chip-cartridge scam, before it would print anything. Took plenty of hours to get it working with my phone (pocket snitch).
When the ink runs out, I think I'll just order a Chineseium (chip-less) printer for my mother.
I'm effectively done with technology that isn't purely mechanical or included only the absolutely necessary PCBs to make it functional. Learning how to make stuff at home and keeping my old tech.
-arc
This rule isn't about installing a device to limit how fast you can drive, it's a speed limit reminder in case you don't know what the speed limit is where you are driving. A modern GPS Navi can be set-up to do the same thing. And German cars have had this feature going back over decade as a feature that can be selected by the driver to remind them if they go over the posted speed. This is from a 2007 Audi A5 -
ReplyDeleteSelect: Function selector button CAR > Instrument cluster > Speed warning. Speed warning on/off - to activate or deactivate the speed warning function. Speed warning - to set the speed above which a warning signal will sound. Speed limit warning 2 can be adjusted in increments of 10 km/h between 30 and 240 km/h.
All this regulation does is make it an automatic reminder not a manual one -
"The ISA system is required to work with the driver and not to restrict his/her possibility to act in any moment during driving. The driver is always in control and can easily override the ISA system."
In fact, since this feature is automatic it's actually a benefit to the driver as it will alert you if you are going faster than the posted speed limit where ever you are. Thus avoiding getting blitzed and receiving a speeding fine because you weren't paying attention to the speed limit or didn't happen to notice you are now in a slower zone and for what ever reason, didn't see the sign - possibly leading to a speeding fine.
And to be honest, on roads between towns, it is not uncommon from the speeds to fluctuate between 100kph, down to 70, 60. If you don't happen to see the sign because you were simply not paying attention as we all do from time to time, you could easily get blitzed. And since France and the NL recently lowered their country road speed from 100kph to 90kph, this feature is a nice way to be reminded automatically when you cross borders.
This feature will actually help us avoid getting blitzed and helps us not have to pay a fine because we happened to be unaware the speed limit had changed!
How great is that!
At least here in Europe, if I do get blitzed by a speed camera, I simply continue along my way, and a week later I get a letter in the mail and a 10-Euro fine. Not like in America where the police pull you over on a dangerous freeway with cars zipping past, just so they can harass you, search the vehicle illegally and use Civil Forfeiture laws to steal your property without due process.
No thanks, I'm good with our system.
You can keep it.
DeleteIt's another conspiracy! The more car crashes there are, the more stuff big pharma and their co-conspirators will sell. They think we don't know what they're up to.but . . . hang on, there's a black SUV drawing up outside.
ReplyDeleteMy 2002 Suburban is limited to 98 MPH, but I still love it.
ReplyDeleteMy Japanese motorcycle (JDM model) has a speed limiter of 112 mph. I've hit it once in the past 6 years. Too much traffic and I'm getting too old, but 112 is plenty fast. Traffic in Houston generally runs 80 to 90 mph then sudden stop and parking lot level jam due to construction on every frigging major highway here.
ReplyDeleteAlso, back in the day, my 63 Ford had the old analog speed limiter. 70 mph top speed in 3rd due to the 115 hp straight six, 3 on the tree, and no A/C. But you could downshift to 2nd and get up to 80 if you had a long enough straight road. Always a way.