London Drivers to Have Their Speed Controlled via Satellite

It looks like Transport for London is planning to control the speed of vehicles from the skies!

TFL has just announced a large-scale trial of the Intelligent Speed Adaption system – this uses preloaded road data and GPS to track and slow naughty speed-freaks.

The Daily Mail put together the infographic to help explain how the ‘ISA’ system works.

Cars are kitted out with computers loaded with speed limit data for public roads, and are then monitored via satellite.

There’s two modes of how this system will take over your driving:

• “Advisory” mode:  The dash readout indicates if you need to slow down, and smiles at you if you do.
• “Voluntary” mode:   the computer will actually seize control of your throttle, letting off the gas until you ease back down to the speed limit.

Now, before all you drivers start writing your emails to TFL and joining other privacy forums there’s a coupla things you should note first.

The ISA is being used on London cabs, government cars and buses so private citizens are safe (for now).

Also, the system has an override switch so expect this to be almost permanently off in cabs and useless on buses as the moments when a London bus get’s over 15mph are few and far between.

I still can’t but help feeling a tad uneasy at the thought of satellite speed control.

When you think that this tech is possible and that the government is in on it – it doesn’t exactly fill you with warm fluffy thoughts does it?