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Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea? Judging by the comments most people are happy at it, but it will lead to serious safety lapses...

Btw, I am sure we could have bet money that it would have to be a Malayali run company that thinks of speed limiters.
What next, cars to automatically panic brake whenever a radar is within 100 yards ?

I just cant stand the (mainly) South Indian panicky style of driving; drive at 80 kph in the 3rd lane, stomp on brakes when seeing a radar even if he is under the limit, etc...

http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirate ... 5-1.351809

A digital Rash Driving Prevention System (RBPS) is being developed to control rash driving on UAE roads by externally controlling vehicle speed with the help of automatic speed governors fitted on the electronic control unit of the vehicles, especially commercial vehicles.

The system will involve fitting vehicles and taxis with digital speed governor units that will communicate with the intelligent transmitters located in specific locations and reduce the vehicles speed to a preprogrammed level.
The initial plan is to introduce speed governors on commercial vehicles (14-seater and above) and taxis. It will gradually be made mandatory for all vehicles.

The plug and play system can be programmed to control vehicle speed with the help of a control unit, transmitters and Total Position Sensor. “If the vehicle speed is programmed using RDPS, when the vehicle passes through restricted areas such as schools or residential pockets, construction work areas or even traffic signals, its speed can be externally controlled and brought down to the specified speed limit with the help of transmitters,” he said, adding that the Cochin-based Craysol Technologies is designing and manufacturing the RDPS and related accessories for the Road Transport Authority (RTA).

He said the company has been working with the RTA and other relevant government departments to design the system and claim that it has filed for patent right for the digital RDPS, which will be first of its kind in the world. “We are designing the system in consultation with the RTA and other government departments in Dubai.


He elaborated that once the RDPS is installed, speed of a vehicle moving at 120km per hour will automatically come down, when it reaches a restricted or speed limit area. Even if the driver does not reduce speed, the intelligent digital speed governor will automatically reduce the vehicle speed by regulating the fuel flow to the engine. He said that the RDPS will ensure more road safety and avoid fuel use.“Now many motorists waste fuel by carelessly pressing the accelerator pedal but with the new system in place, this will be avoided. Minimum 20 per cent fuel efficiency for vehicles is guaranteed,” Nobi added.

Very good idea. Limiting the maximum speed for trucks and buses is already done by some transport companies in European countries with very good results. Not just safety improved, but also fuel consumption and decreased wear and tear. Speed monitoring (so not limiting) & driving time limitation of drivers for trucks and buses is already there for many years and for sure has contributed to extra safety.

About safety concerns, I would agree that for saloon cars it maybe not the best way or even needed (taxis maybe exempted?). But for sure for trucks, buses and vans, its really a good way. Seeing here in Dubai that and average fully loaded bus, truck or van does over 100km on the highway; its a suicide mission.... If any technical problem happens; there is just no way holding them on the road.... Seems the drivers are not aware, or do not take the needed responsibility... better restrict them from doing over-speeding

Most speed limiters have a maximum of 120/140 programmed into the car.

Here they are talking of a dynamic speed controller, so if you going at 100 kph and enter a 80 kph zone, your speed will automatically decrease, and you cant go over 80 no matter what.

So if you need to accelerate in an emergency, like a car floating towards your side, you cant do that.

Yes, lets not do proper law enforcement with a proactive traffic police force or educate and train drivers properly. Instead just put more radars and devices so we can milk more money.

This has nothing to do with safety just as salik has nothing to do with reducing traffic congestion well atleast now the RTA has given up the ghost and atleast admitted after god knows how many years that the Salik gates are nothing but revenue generators and even thinking about hiking those up.

Having a speed governor also wont work, you can't stop the fully loaded hiace vans from weaving in and out or do you think a crash at 80 is not potentially fatal specially when sitting in fully loaded tin can on wheels.

Law enforcement works, biggest example is the strict policy on heavy vehicles AD has, well atleast on Dxb AD highway. Will strict enforcement and spot checks and heavy penalities. You wont see a heavy vehicle anywhere except the last lane on the highway. And having a couple of them pulled over on the side of the road is also not an unsual sign.

I've also seen them chase down 2 or 3 digit vehicles and pull them over, they must be doing something right on that stretch of road as when I first started commuting in mid 2009. Almost every other day with an average of 3 per week very severe, possibly fatal crashes and I am talking where the car is mangled up so bad all you can see in just bits of twisted metal on the road.

But now although the traffic flow has increased due to more people commuting between Dxb and AD, thankfully such incidents are not that common now at all now. Really can't say if its due to law enforcement or some other factor but I'm sure it does play some role in it.

i agree with DDS; its all about enforcement.
In 2008, it was not uncommon to have cars wheeze past me doing 200 when I was at 160.

Nowadays, the fastest ones are doing ~ 180.

The "trucks on rhl" policy in abu dhabi is also a good example of how things can be achieved if enforcement is there.

I was of the understanding that in Dubai trucks, buses, the like, were to always be in the far right lane (on larger roads two lanes are dedicated) at a reduced speed. There are even signs on overpasses indicating lanes dedicated to cars. Those minibuses on SZR can be scarey as all get out with them weaving in between cars going 100 or better.

No doubt about it, enforcement is the key to dicipline on the roads and it should be for all.

This is a horrible idea, Completely impractical and a huge financial burden on the authorities.

The part which I am most concerned about is how secure the system will be, The unit will be in the vehicle, and the activator will be an external device, And those devices will be controlled with some sort of transport management system. And each and ever one of these systems will be hackable,

Whats preventing a 10 year old of from hijacking the system and then playing Destruction Derby with the vehicles, If the speed can be reduced by the external devices, a quick hack on the transmitter will enable the speed to be increased.

The implementation and maintenance of the security of this whole system will be a logistical nightmare !

Well I definitely think the device has practical uses for vehicles like trucks, minivans and the like. But on domestic vehicles I'm not so sure.

It can't replace good driving education.

zubber wrote:Completely impractical and a huge financial burden on the authorities.

What are you talking about mate, guess who will end up paying for such crap !!!

And yes trackers have their uses in commercial fleets and rent a cars ( i.e to prove traffic violations and curb the recent spat of vehicle thefts ) But other than that totally not needed for joe public.

More effort on drive ed and law enforcement

I had missed the biggest hazard such a system would bring, which I found through a comment; just imagine driving behind a car and it suddenly slows down from 120 to 80 without brake lights, because of the auto speed controller....