Ford has announced a new technology that will read speed limit signs and other road restrictions and automatically slow a vehicle.
The carmaker is rolling out the technology in new models of the Ford S-Max, a minivan that it originally produced for the European market and first went on sale in 2006.
The new system, called Intelligent Speed Limiter, enables drivers to set a maximum vehicle speed. The max speed is then automatically adjusted according to information from an in-vehicle traffic sign recognition system that uses a windshield-mounted camera to read road signs. Those restrictions are then displayed on the instrument cluster.
At the same time the road restrictions are being communicated to a driver, an electronic system reduces the vehicle accelerator mechanism — instead of applying the brakes — to slow the car. If the vehicle happens to overrun the set speed limit, say on downhill gradients, a warning sound goes off alerting the driver. Read more on Computerworld (external link)
Isn’t that like cruise control? If you don’t want to speed just set your cruise control to the speed you want to go.
Many tomes I have had to “floor board” the gas to get out of the way on a speeding vehicle (FD, police car, ambulance, etc) and to avoid an accident. Now I won’t be able to get out of the way and will probably be killed.
feel bad for FORDs loss.
you see 10 years ago people would go for this as an added pro to the car, but not in todays generation where it will make people feel restricted-even if its for their safety & its also the law-and look like someone is running their car slower then they want it.
Thanx, but No thanx. This is not for me. Sorry, Ford. But I should have bought ur stock when it was $6.50, stupid me.