A provisional agreement has been reached to make speed limiters mandatory for all new cars sold in Europe from July 2022. The car leasing experts at LeaseElectricCar.co.uk have explained what this new change will mean for drivers in the UK.

Even though the UK left the EU in 2020, it still adheres to the same road safety regulations set out by the European Commission. Speed limiters are a safety device that will be fitted to all new vehicles to ensure they keep to legal speed limit requirements across the country.

With the legal speed limit set at 70mph in the UK there is growing concern the speed and power of modern vehicles is a major player in the number of incidents caused on British roads.

Limiters work differently to cruise control in the fact that they set a top speed that cannot be eclipsed whereas cruise control keeps the vehicle at a constant speed that is chosen by the driver – these new devices will eliminate the choice to go above the legal speed.

These speed limiters will use technology similar to GPS devices to help recognise the local speed limit in that area – this system will then send a warning to the driver via the dashboard to remind them of the speed limit. Their implementation is to provide a safety net for those temporary lapses in concentration that can sometimes be the cause of a collision.

However, the introduction of this technology is not likely to go without some objection, as congestion and vehicle emissions may increase.

There is also a perceived view that car manufacturers will raise concerns that the implementation of these devices may frustrate drivers – many owners buy cars for their power output but speed limiters could inhibit the ability to utilise this power.

A spokesperson for LeaseElectricCar.co.uk said: ”There is always likely to be concern and uncertainty from some motorists when new changes and regulations are implemented. Ultimately these proposed changes are for the safety of the driver and other road users.

“Although these systems can be overridden and removed, we believe it is a positive message that all new cars will include this technology. Too many incidents are caused by reckless speeding every year and this could be a step in the right direction in trying to reduce this number.

“Over the next few years there are going to be plenty of changes to motoring in the UK and we urge all drivers to keep up to date with all the regular updates.”

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