US prepare for an invasion of crazy car-freaks from Europe in year 2020.

[Jocke]

Today I read something that makes me go a little jumpy.

Here in Sweden they are testing up a new kind of system, itīs a computer whoīs gonna keep the speedlimits on the roads.

Itīs work like every time you try to go faster than the speedlimit the computer refuses the car to do that. Itīs seems to work thru the GPS.

This system has been tested in 5000 cars so far and they plan to have the new "standard" in year 2005, in year 2010 every new car should be set with this thing and in year 2015 every old car should have it also...

It also saids that in year 2020 the hole Europe should have this system.

I havenīt heard of this system in the states so if this goes thru, the first thing I gonna do is to get an Air-flight for me and my car to the states.

What does you think? Are this freaky idea gonna came thru? (hope not.)

/Jocke

NEVER

[stuttgart]

Jocke,
you're jokin right!? I really do not think they will pass a law like that in the US that the cars are speed regulated in such a way.. MANY people would raise MUCH stink about it.. aside from the fact it would just be plain stupid

Eric Mckenna
78SC

[cegerer]

We have this little thing here in the US called the Constitution. Ammendment IV would prohibit such devices:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Of course, many of our politicians make a career out of attempting to jam the Constitution into the nearest paper shredder - so anything's possible! -- Curt

[Porsche911NYC]

When they outlaw guns, only the outlaws will have guns.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Here's the kicker--if the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) still stands by that time, and this is brought to the US, any attempt to defeat the mechanism that limits your speed could be prosecuted under the clause that forbids you to reverse-engineer any "encryption technology". All they have to do is claim the data stream between the GPS and the computer is encrypted.

[JMPRO]

I think some of this tech is already here . Some rental car co. have gps in the rental cars and will surcharge you if you leave the state, or go over the speed limit. Some auto manf. GM one , are putting black boxes in new cars that can measure all of the car functions that preceded an accident-speed, direction , brakes and steering. The auto makers promised not to share this info with anyone," its just for the engineers" but you can bet every explorer has one now and that info would show up in court.
Jerry

[Jocke]

Originally posted by stuttgart
Jocke,
you're jokin right!? I really do not think they will pass a law like that in the US that the cars are speed regulated in such a way.. MANY people would raise MUCH stink about it.. aside from the fact it would just be plain stupid

Eric Mckenna
78SC

No Iīts the hard truth!

Hereīs the link if anyone can read Swedish or have a good translation-program. http://www.svenskmotorweb.se/artikel_bild_topp.php3?visa_id=29866&bildnamn=top_02_motorbranschen.gif&avdelning=8

/J

[A Quiet Boom]

I really doubt that will happen, most of the population goes at least 5mph above the limit anyway, combine with the "always in a rush" modern lifestyle people will fight this tooth and nail. I've had an idea for a few years though. Generally speaking todays cars are safer and more reliable that the cars of 20-30 years ago making the average car on the road a safer vehicle, it is realistic to increase speed limits when safety has also been increased. However today's drivers are certainly not any better and possibly worse than they were 20-30 years ago (think cell-phone) and there are a lot more cars on the road. What if all drivers were given one year before their license renewal to complete a short course on emergency vehicle control and increased speed driving? Along with an advertising campagain pushing the idea that a well trained driver is the best safety device you can equip your car with? The goal of this of course would be to raise the average driver awareness and ability to make increased speed limits a reality. I can think of many incidents I've had in which my ability to handle a vehicle rather than panic has at least prevented an accident if not saved my life. In one extreme case I was helping a freind get his wifes car of the freeway with my racecar trailer, in my haste to get the car loaded on the trailer in the middle of a cold January night I didn't get it far enough forward and the trailer was way unbalanced. We only had to get it to the next exit 2 miles away but a passing semi upset the trailer and both truck and trailer began to fishtail like mad back and forth across both lanes of the freeway (the trailer tonque was steering the truck), instinctually I let off the gas in the truck and gently worked the steering wheel to get the rig straightened out, thankfully I didn't panic and hit the brakes because that would have meant a sure rollover. This learned instinct saved mine and my friend's life but also taught me a big lesson about safely loading my trailer no matter how cold or hungry or tired etc. I am.

Sorry for the long story but good drivers, not speed limits, save lives. It's my opinion that a speed control device would only make drivers less aware of what's going on around them and with their vehicle when on the roads.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Boom,

A worthy idea, but who would pay for this program?

The auto mfgrs? No.

The gov't? No.

The "people" (in the form of increased license fees)? No. There'd be an armed uprising.

The only group I could think of who would support this (financially and spiritually) would be the insurance cos. And we all know how easily they part with THEIR money.

My wife's 15-year-old cousin got her "learner's permit" (or whatever) a few months ago. I wouldn't trust her to know the number to dial for 9-1-1, and now she's armed with a 1.5 ton deadly weapon.

Perhaps we just need on-the-spot executions for moving violations. I mean, you can't walk out onto the street and fire a pistol wildly into the air. Why can you drive a potentially more lethal device like a madman?

[A Quiet Boom]

Who would pay for the speed control equipment? We all know that in the end, no matter who pays for it upfront, the consumer always pays for it. Either directly or indirectly thru increased taxes or Ins rates or car prices. In the end every motorist or passenger killed by a poor driver pays the ultimate price for not having better drivers on the road. While I don't think speed control equipment is right or even a solution I do think improve driver training would be a worth while investment for everyone involved.

[eion]

Originally posted by BlueSkyJaunte
My wife's 15-year-old cousin got her "learner's permit" (or whatever) a few months ago. I wouldn't trust her to know the number to dial for 9-1-1, and now she's armed with a 1.5 ton deadly weapon.

I think that part of the problem is that the requirements for driving in the US are so low. In the UK, you can't get a learner's permit (provisional license) until you're 17, and the test you take is *much* harder. My US driving test took about 15 minutes (I got my US license first, btw), and consisted mainly of right-hand turns. My manoeuvre? A 3-point turn in a road so wide that I could have just done a U-turn. The highest speed I got to was 40mph (speed limit). I passed (as you'd hope ) and received a full drivers license. In the UK, the test takes a certain amount of time (I think it's an hour, someone correct me if I'm wrong) and you have to perform some harder manoeuvres (such as parallel parking and reversing round a corner) - you have to do 2 from a list, IIRC. The test includes some high-speed (60 or 70mph) driving, an emergency stop... lots of useful things. Most importantly (I think), if you take the test in an automatic, you are only licensed to drive automatics. Curiously, though, in my experience Americans are better (safer and more courteous) drivers. Admittedly I used to live in central London, and I'm generalizing... but I think that a harder (or less easy) driving test would still be of benefit over here.

edit : typing/spelling problems...

[cstreit]

Well this just furthers my resolve, never to buy a modern car... It's the same @%^#$'s that will have us all driving electric cars at 35 mph in the future...

What happens when I need to get out of the way from someone that DOESN't have this device, call the local gov't bureau and request a 5 second waiver?