From 7 July 2024, all new cars sold in the European Union will be subject to a new EU law aimed at reducing speed and improving road safety.
The law requires manufacturers to fit Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) technology to their cars, but they can implement it in a variety of ways – including automatically limiting the car’s speed.
When asked Who? the Department for Transport has confirmed that the new law will apply to Northern Ireland, but that it will not be imposed in England, Scotland or Wales. However, it is likely that new cars sold in the UK will have ISA technology as standard.
Read on to learn more about the laws, the technology itself, and how you’ll be affected.
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What is Intelligent Speed Assist?
ISA detects the speed limit on roads using a combination of GPS and cameras that are designed to recognize speed signs. It will then use this information to limit your speed or create a visual or audible warning when you exceed the limit.
ISA has effectively become a legal requirement for all new car models introduced from July 2022 (such as Honda ZR-V, Volkswagen ID.7 and Volvo EX30). From 7 July 2024, this law will apply to all new cars sold in the EU and Northern Ireland, regardless of when they were first put on the market (eg Volkswagen Touranwhich was launched in 2015 but is still available to buy new).
Manufacturers can equip cars with four different ISA systems (audio warning, vibration warning, accelerator pedal feedback or direct speed control function) to prevent the driver from exceeding the detected speed limit. Regardless of the system chosen by the manufacturer, the new law states that it must be activated automatically every time the car is started and cannot be permanently deactivated.
If your car’s ISA system is set to automatically limit the speed you’re traveling, you’ll be able to temporarily deactivate it by pressing hard on the gas pedal, but it will reactivate every time you start the car.
Why is the new law being introduced?
The change is being introduced by the European Union and is based on recommendations from the European Transport Safety Council, a non-profit organisation, which says making ISA technology mandatory for all new cars would reduce deaths on European roads by 20%.
The European Commission says the introduction of ISA could reduce both insurance costs and CO2 emissions, and may also help slow down older cars that don’t have ISA.
While the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union, the law will continue to apply in Northern Ireland. Although this means that it is not a legal requirement for new cars sold in England, Scotland or Wales to be fitted with ISA, most manufacturers are likely to include it.
How accurate is speed camera recognition?
ISA relies on GPS and dash cams to accurately detect the speed limit on the road you’re driving on.
However, we found the ISA unreliable in many of the cars we tested. For example, we have had several instances where the car registered the speed limit as 80 mph in 30 mph zones (pictured).
On two-carriageways at 70 mph, we’ve also encountered cases where the car mistakenly detected the 30 mph limit on an adjacent road.
How did the automotive industry react?
We asked a number of major car brands what their plans are for the UK.
Vauxhall told us that all its cars sold in the UK will comply with EU law and that the default will be a permanent ISA permit. Kia has said that from the 2025 model year all its UK cars will be equipped with ISA, and that most of its 2024 cars are already equipped with ISA.
Commenting on the fact that the law will not apply to new cars sold in the UK, Mike Hawes from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said: “The UK has some of the safest roads in the world, but we should welcome action to further improve our record. Given the highly integrated nature of the UK and European automotive industry, regulatory divergence is not beneficial to either party.”
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