gps limiting in cars, to be trialled

[mike-s]

have a look here, and for those that cant be arsed.

GPS system used to slow speeding cars
June 24, 2008 - 2:59PM
Car systems that tell drivers of speed limits and reduce vehicle speed if they fail to slow down are to be trialled in three states.
The NSW Centre for Road Safety will install 100 cars with GPS devices that will notify drivers of the speed limit and warn them when they are going to fast. If they fail to slow down, other technology will kick in to limit the supply of fuel to the engine, forcing a reduction in the vehicle's speed.

If successful, the trial in the Illawarra region could lead to a wider rollout of the system, with the technology adopted during car manufacture, says NSW Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal.The 18-month, $1 million NSW trial will begin next month. The technology will also be trialled in Victoria and Western Australia.

"Speeding is a factor in around 40 per cent of all fatal crashes in NSW, with 139 people losing their lives on our roads last year because of speed," Mr Roozendaal said. "This kind of technology has the potential to help cut the road toll and save lives."

About 2,500km of roads in the Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama areas have been mapped for the trial. They contain 4,000 speed signs and 950 speed zones. Three local organisations have volunteered to take part in the trial, which will analyse driver behaviour to see if the Australian-developed technology has any impact on driving habits.

Mr Roozendaal admitted some drivers might not like the idea of losing some control of their vehicle to "Big Brother", even if it did prevent them speeding. "I can imagine there might be a lot of drivers that might see benefits in avoiding being caught speeding on our roads," he said.

"(But) if it does slow drivers down, if it does make drivers safer, it does change the way they behave ... we'll see if it can be rolled out further." "The new technology could also be used to curb "recalcitrant" speeders, Mr Roozendaal said.

Asked if the speed intervention system posed any safety risk, Mr Roozendaal said an override function would give drivers some control in emergency situations. "There are full safety considerations and in the event of an emergency, or in the need to accelerate, they can override the system," he said. "I'm assured by the road safety experts that this is all very safe."

Mr Roozendaal said it could be years before the system was rolled out across NSW, due to the current cost of the technology and the logistics of mapping huge areas. "I imagine it would be a couple of years before we could see any realistic broader commercial response," he said. "The other thing that needs to be done is map electronically all the speed zones (across the state). That's quite a labour-intensive project."

He estimated the cost of installing the devices at between $700 and $800 per car.

I'd be tempted to offer to take part in the trial just to give them some negative data , It's a shame that technology is being substituted for common sense and good driver education, well that's my view on it at least.

[dave#3]

I can just see how safe it will be fiddling around looking for the emergency override switch as a semi-trailer moves into your lane How pissed off will you be the first time a software glitch (and let's face it, there will be plenty) limits you to 50km/h on a freeway

[z900/zx9]

Yeah this will be added to the other idears,if you dont brush your teeth properly a tooth brush will extend out from the mirror to finish the job and if you dont wipe your ass properly your seat will turn into a bidday

[Tinman]

I can just see how safe it will be fiddling around looking for the emergency override switch as a semi-trailer moves into your lane How pissed off will you be the first time a software glitch (and let's face it, there will be plenty) limits you to 50km/h on a freeway

That a very good point Dave

[99coconuts]

i'm all for it. When the road toll doesn't go down due to the use of these things, they wont be able to claim that speed is the root of all evil any more, and we might actually see something useful like ummmm.... actually teaching people how to drive

[lifeofcrimeguy]

can just see how safe it will be fiddling around looking for the emergency override switch as a semi-trailer moves into your lane How pissed off will you be the first time a software glitch (and let's face it, there will be plenty) limits you to 50km/h on a freeway

I believe the override would be something along the lines of puting foot to floor, according to whichever news was on tonight. And I know my GPS thinks theres a number of 40, 50 and 80 Km/h zones along the highways into the city and down to Canberra. Considering GPS has an average error of around 7m (assuming you're using the generic stuff and not the higher quality stuff used for geology/surveying, etc), it could indeed be dodgy when travelling along a highway that parallels another road such as the M7.

Still, all this is better than the idea they had a few months back of simply using them for monitoring. When you sped, it simply dobbed you in and you had to explain yourself. Now that was revenue raising at it's finest.

If they do come and become widespread. I wouldn't be surprised if before too long, they not only become mandatory on all new cars, but it becomes an offense to tamper with them in anyway. And of course there's the privacy question of what kind, if any, monitoring would occur of your driving and who has access to such material and for what purposes.

i'm all for it. When the road toll doesn't go down due to the use of these things, they wont be able to claim that speed is the root of all evil any more, and we might actually see something useful like ummmm.... actually teaching people how to drive

We can only hope. But alas, it is all too easy to see what you wanna see in stats; I don't hold my breathe.

[Del]

i know my GPS tells me im speeding constantly when im in a 60 zone.. it thinks all streets and roads are 50. stupid things... im tempted to turn the speed warnings off.. but the camera function is useful.

if they GPS log every vehicle they will have access to everyones travel logs. where we have been average speeds etc etc... they will know where we are when we are..


im not a fan of this idea.. pure and simple of the invasive nature of this kinda data logging. imagine driving down the road.. and your GPS has a set route in it or u have traveled down that way previously.. next minute your radio starts broadcasting local destination specific advertising.. and your car starts steering into the nearest KFC for that ULTIMATE ZINGER COMBO THAT YOU CRAVE SO BADLY!!!!!

if your a serial red/orange light runner.. will the locations be noted and light sequences altered to be red well and truly before you get there..

i know some of this is a bit fanciful.. but... its the future.. anything is possible..

[photomike666]

Rather than invest so heavilly in GPS, they could simple have transponders on every speed limit sign and use cruise controls to limit the cars speed. Then they could not log travel data. As for the override, wouldn't everyone simply constantly override it and drive as normal?

[Del]

so electronic gizmos to slow us down.. what about those " 10 under" drivers.. can we get gizmos to make these fuckers move!!!

[Jonno]

Yes, and what about appropriate speed for the conditions......
It has big brother written all over it again, wont belong now kids and we all will be chipped and tracked for all kinds of reasons!

It will happen by stealth over time!

[mike-s]

Have to agree, we let the bastards get away with it with the "a little bit here, a little bit there, whats good for the children, rah rah rah personal responsibilities = sue someone else" and before you know it our cars are reporting you for speeding, your not allowed to take photos of your kids at the school carnival, you get eyed off as a pervert if your a dad or grandad watching his young kids at the playground, your not allowed to buy crackers as you may hurt yourself, and they ban lasers in case 1 in 100 thousand people are stupid enough to point them at a fricking plane..

Oh wait, all except the first already happens. I for one welcome our 1984-esque overlords.

[mike-s]

slightly on but offtopic rant, went to the servo tonight to pump up my car tyres tonight, pulled outta there, got caught behind some Victorian who obviously didn't know where the hell he was, went into a slip lane, bit busy traffic, fair enough we stopped as the car i was caught behind was clueless, though i didn't see ANY effort to speed up and try and merge smoothly. then the smarty stops dead and i cant go around him, i see some MASSIVE gaps in the left lane that even a semi would have enough time to merge in safely and successfully. I beep my horn at him after he misses three huge gaps, then what does our friend do? he goes from point A to point B on this map, take into account the slip lane we have to go down (thanks to the map itself being a bit out of date the directions on here are wrong, but you get the idea none the less) so he literally cuts across 4 lanes of traffic to turn down foreshore road. I mean what the fuck........

Sure it doesn't look as bad from overhead, but if anyone knows the BP right near sydney Airport, and making the turn down to foreshore road from there, anyone would tell you its an absolutely mental thing to even attempt.