Ford puts the brakes on new speeding fines with Intelligent Speed Limiter | Advice - Car News Apr 2017

12:14 Thursday 27 Apr 2017

In the week the Government introduced a hike in speeding fines, Ford have issued a reminder that their Intelligent Speed Limiter could help drivers avoid falling foul of the law.

Under the new rules, drivers can be fined up to 175% of their weekly wage for speeding, but the Intelligent Speed Limiter which scans traffic signs and automatically adjusts the throttle accordingly. The system is currently available on Ford Kuga, Edge, S-MAX, and Galaxy models.

The system, which allows drivers to remain within the speed limit while staying focussed on the road ahead, combines the functionality of two Ford technologies; Adjustable Speed Limiter which enables drivers to manually set a maximum vehicle speed, and Traffic Sign Recognition, which provides drivers with the latest detected speed limit, cancellation signs and overtaking restrictions via the instrument cluster display.

Steering wheel controls allow the driver to adjust the maximum speed for Intelligent Speed Limiter in 5 mph increments, and for speeds between 20-120 mph the technology utilises speed limit information from the Traffic Sign Recognition system. In vehicles equipped with onboard navigation, Intelligent Speed Limiter also uses map data for improved accuracy. The system reduces speed by controlling engine torque, electronically adjusting the amount of fuel delivered.

“Speed limiting technology was last year specified on around two thirds of Ford vehicles for which it was available, proving popular with drivers who want to ensure they avoid incurring speeding fines by unintentionally exceeding the speed limit”, said Ford’s active safety supervisor Stefan Kappes.