Transport for London (TfL) is to test a system that can
automatically reduce a vehicle's speed, as part of a strategy to
reduce road deaths.
TfL is initially aiming the Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA)
scheme at public vehicles like buses and taxis. Any roll-out to
private vehicles would require owners to fix sensors to their
vehicles.
At first, the ISA system would alert drivers, via satellite
navigation systems for instance, that they are entering reduced
speed zones. If the driver did not slow down, the system could
force the vehicle to slow to the correct speed.
TfL believes though that closely monitoring and controlling
public vehicles could have a knock-on effect of slowing whole
traffic streams, where appropriate.
TfL is expected to start trials into the technology in early
2006, involving around ten vehicles.
