All UK cars to have 'mandatory' speed limiter installed from July

The intelligent speed assistance can automatically slow down a vehicle if a driver is exceeding the speed limit. The requirement comes into effect from July 6 with all cars needing to have the mandatory safety feature installed.

New European Union and Northern Ireland rules mean cars sold in the UK will be required to have ISA fitted, regardless of where the manufacture was. Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, warned motorists could take things into their own hands and trying to 'fix' it so that the ISA never comes on in their car.

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The speed limiters have been widely welcomed by motorists and road experts - and Graham warned drivers against taking things into their own hands and trying to 'fix' it so that the ISA never comes on in their car. He said: "While it might seem like an innocent change to the car's set-up, doing so could have serious implications.

"A car is fitted with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems like ISA for a very good reason, and a manufacturer could take a very dim view of that technology being bypassed. You could very easily void a manufacturer's warranty by doing so."

Dr David Hynd, chief scientist at Transport Research Laboratory, said: "It stops me getting speeding fines. It saves me money on my fuel bill, which is always very welcome. But, best of all, it provides an extra set of eyes, which I find particularly helpful when I'm navigating new places, or the roads are busy.

"ISA gives me head space and that makes me a better driver. On a motorway, I use ISA in conjunction with cruise control, and have been pleasantly surprised by how much less tired I am after a long journey when using this system."

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has previously claimed new ISA technology would reduce crashes by around 30 per cent. Mike Hawes, president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said: "Some manufacturers have already been offering these technologies to consumers ahead of any regulations, including Intelligent Speed Assistance, and will continue to do so across the UK.

"With the heavily integrated nature of the UK and European automotive sectors, regulatory divergence is not advantageous for either party." The Department for Transport says it keeps policies under review to help reduce casualties and it has commissioned research to look at the benefits and implications of these technologies in Great Britain and will provide updates in due course.

Any decision to mandate some or all these new technologies will require consultation and legislation to amend the GB type approval scheme.

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