- Ford launches technology preventing drivers from exceeding speed limits, potentially from incurring costly speeding penalties;
- Intelligent Speed Limiter enables automatic adjustment of maximum vehicle speed to remain within legal limits; camera detects signs, system helps ensure limits are not exceeded;
- System debuts on the all-new S-MAX; sports activity vehicle also can detect people in road ahead and automatically apply brakes if driver does not respond to warnings.
BUSINESS car managers will have Ford to thank for keeping points off their drivers’ licences with the launch of its smart speed limiter.
The technology links up with Ford’s speed limit recognition cameras and automatically restricts the vehicle’s speed to the legal limit.
Now the all-new S-MAX sports activity vehicle, equipped with Intelligent Speed Limiter (ISL), can help ensure the maximum speed is automatically adjusted to remain within changing speed limits.
“Drivers are not always conscious of speeding and sometimes only becoming aware they were going too fast when they receive a fine in the mail or are pulled over by law enforcement,” said Stefan Kappes, active safety supervisor, Ford of Europe. “Intelligent Speed Limiter can remove one of the stresses of driving, helping ensure customers remain within the legal speed limit.”
Drivers activate Intelligent Speed Limiter via steering wheel controls to set a maximum vehicle speed. The system uses a windscreen-mounted camera to monitor road signs and when the speed limit is lower than that maximum set speed, ISL slows the vehicle as required. As the speed limit rises, the system allows the driver to accelerate up to the set speed, providing it does not exceed the new speed limit.
