European Parliament rules new cars must have speed limiters
Proponents claim the legislation could save 25,000 lives in the next 15 years.
The European Parliament has ruled that all new cars must be equipped with so-called Intelligent Speed Assistance technology that automatically limits the vehicle's speed.
Already installed on some commercial vehicles and mass-market cars, the technology uses GPS and cameras to dynamically manage the speed limiter. Drivers can briefly override the system by pressing harder on the accelerator pedal, allowing safer passing, though audible and visual alerts begin to activate if the speed limit is exceeded for more than a few seconds.
"This legislation represents a major step forward for road safety in Europe, and could save 25,000 lives within fifteen years of coming into force," European Transport Safety Council executive director Antonio Avenoso said in a statement.
Other safety technologies mandated in the new legislation include "black box" data recorders and pedestrian/cyclist detection.