Intelligent Speed Assistance legislation is here
Matthew Beedham·Nov 17, 2021

Intelligent Speed Assistance legislation is here

Matthew Beedham
Editor
Nov 17, 2021 · 2 min read
Intelligent Speed Assistance Legislation | TomTom Newsroom

Today, European lawmakers have officially released documentation on the long-awaited Intelligent speed assistance (ISA) legislation. This ratifies the legislation which has been debated over the past few years and outlines the specific wording of the laws that carmakers will have to follow.

The official wording of ISA legislation, which has been debated heavily since 2019 can be found here.

In short, the legislation appears to have been written and defined as expected. The coronavirus pandemic slowed discussions over the past two years somewhat, however, the original timeline discussed for the regulations hasn’t changed.

Official legislation was expected to be put into writing by October 2021. Even though the documentation is published today – a month later than expected – vehicle makers will have to start complying in July 2022.

To be specific, the regulations will take full effect from July 6, 2022.

Next year, new vehicle models, such as passenger cars and trucks, will be required to feature ISA tech. For more on what the tech is and how it will need to work, click here to read what you need to know about ISA regulations.

Essentially, the technology will help to keep drivers aware of the speed limit and it can even prevent them from exceeding it too.

On a basic level, ISA tech uses two data sources to inform the driver of the speed limit. On-vehicle sensors, like cameras, which can read speed signs as they’re driven past. This information, if deemed correct, can be displayed to the driver somewhere in their cockpit.

ADAS Maps are also used to inform the system of what the speed limit is on a given road. Some roads aren’t sign posted and speed limits are implied, such as in residential areas, in these instances accurate map data is required to ensure the correct speed limit is shown to the driver.

ISA systems will warn the driver when they go over the speed limit with audible or haptic feedback. In some applications it will also prevent the vehicle from exceeding the speed limit, that is unless the driver pushes the accelerator pedal down or turns off the feature.

Indeed, that is one of the potential issues with the technology: the fact that it can be silenced. Preventing accidental speeding is key to maintaining road safety, so it makes sense that it should be hardwired and required for use. However, this could be impractical, and, in some cases, drivers might not need to be warned of the speed limit, such as when they drive on familiar roads.

The key is in the name. ISA technology is an assistant and not a speed limiter, you can read more about what that means here.

A certain future

With ISA legislation now officially in writing, there is no debate anymore.

In July 2022, all new vehicle models will need to feature speed limit assistance tech. In 2024, all vehicles sold will need to comply.

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