Ford has announced an intelligent speed limiter that
reads speed signs and slows down the car. This speed-limiting technology
activates by the steering wheel and its main purpose is to help drivers avoid
fines and could reduce the number of accidents. This feature will be featured on Ford’s S-Max vehicle.
The new feature is a combination of two nascent automotive technologies: adjustable speed limiters and traffic sign recognition. Its like a friendly reminder that will keep you from speeding. The adjustable speed limiter might sound like cruise control, but it's little-bit different. Basically cruise control keeps your speed constant, while an
adjustable speed limiter stops the throttle from delivering more fuel to
the engine once you reach the desired speed.
Ford's Intelligent Speed Limiter, like lane-departure warning, adaptive
cruise control, and parking assist, is yet another mile marker on the
route to fully self-driving vehicles. If the driver exceeds the speed limit, the system slows the
car down by inhibiting the fuel flow electronically.
This procedure is more
safe than just simply applying the brakes. However, one thing to bear in mind is the fact that since brakes are not
being used, the vehicle will gain speed when going downhill, therefore
going over the designated speed limit. In such scenario, an audible
warning is given to the user.
"Drivers are not always conscious of speeding... sometimes only becoming aware they were going too fast when they receive a fine in the mail or are pulled over by law enforcement," said Stefan Kappes, a safety supervisor at Ford.
The system also supports a camera mounted on the windshield
and looks out for the road signs while using Ford’s Traffic Sign
Recognition System. The car’s speed limit will be adjusted up or down
accordingly once the speed sign has been detected and read. For roads
where the speed limits are not displayed that frequently, the
Intelligent Speed Limiter can import data from maps that are on the
navigation system to ascertain speed limit
Source: BBC News
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