Software meddling

[OriginalBigAl]

It's nothing to do with EVs, and just a proposal at this stage, but Renault have said that for the Clio from around 2020 models they can introduce software which will limit the top speed of the car to 110 kmph. This will be for new probationary drivers who can voluntary, or their parents can, have it applied to their cars to help combat the higher death rate of new drivers.

Possibly they could get lower insurance premiums as a consequence????

What's your thoughts? Will it spread to all makes? Be unusable? Or work as intended? Would it become law?

With the software in modern cars it would be easily implemented and as in this case reversible, could it replace driving bans as a punishment? Imagine a BMW M5 reduced to 50 mph by court order, with the proviso that the convicted driver can only drive that car? Lots to chew over!

 

[Archev]

It's nothing to do with EVs, and just a proposal at this stage, but Renault have said that for the Clio from around 2020 models they can introduce software which will limit the top speed of the car to 110 kmph. This will be for new probationary drivers who can voluntary, or their parents can, have it applied to their cars to help combat the higher death rate of new drivers.

Possibly they could get lower insurance premiums as a consequence????

What's your thoughts? Will it spread to all makes? Be unusable? Or work as intended? Would it become law?

With the software in modern cars it would be easily implemented and as in this case reversible, could it replace driving bans as a punishment? Imagine a BMW M5 reduced to 50 mph by court order, with the proviso that the convicted driver can only drive that car? Lots to chew over!

My licence is clean and has been for years. I only drive at around 50 / 55 mph and often slower as I enjoy single track road driving. So if it lowered my insurance costs they can happily restrict the speed of the Berlingo to way above what I travel at.

 

[Everest]

Rubbish idea, IMHO. I suspect a lot of accident happen at less than 110km/h and doing 68mph in a town is still dangerous.

Then there's the issue, when you start to overtake a large vehicle on an A-road (D or N for you), which speeds up a bit and you hit the limiter half way alongside the lorry. Your "Time Exposed to Danger" increases. Not safe IME.

Edited to add... And I expect the M5 driver might also find a little OBD device that can revoke the 50mph court limit.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Just to add, the 50 mph limit was just an arbitrary figure I plucked from mid-air. Here we have "sans permis" cars, for older people who have never had a licence and banned drivers so they can still get around. Small cars limited to 35mph, noisy, smelly, not allowed on motorways and normally with high insurance costs, sort of badge of shame cars. On certain roads they can hold up a long queue of traffic and then getting the Paddington stare as each car gets past them. The twofold effect is anger at the recipient and thinking "I don't want one of those," so you keep an eye on your own antics.

New licence holders are supposed to put an "A" sticker on the boot lid for a period of time to give everyone else notice of their inexperience. Perhaps in the future to be augmented with a max speed sticker?

 

[siteguru]

In the UK you often see many cars with P stickers on them, to denote people who've just passed their test (or are nervous drivers). It's not compulsory though.

 

[Everest]

I hope the Citroen Ami is not noisy or smelly? Or is the smell the whiff of Corbières as the 'sans-permis' driver returns from the bar after his liquid breakfast

 

[Rolfe]

I think I'm with Everest on this one.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

I hope the Citroen Ami is not noisy or smelly? Or is the smell the whiff of Corbières as the 'sans-permis' driver returns from the bar after his liquid breakfast

I didn't realise that the quirky ,happy Ami was in the sans permis category , I shall view them in a different light from now on. .
I think the liquid lunch came before the need for a sans permis in the normal chronological time scale of things , still could be a valid point. 2 o clock in the afternoon was traditionally the most dangerous time to venture out onto the routes.

 

[tsedge]

In the UK you often see many cars with P stickers on them, to denote people who've just passed their test (or are nervous drivers). It's not compulsory though.

Is there an O for driving more than 30 years?

 

[OriginalBigAl]

A ,O, and P there's an anagram in there somewhere?

 

[Archev]

Is there an O for driving more than 30 years?

OO order a double O for me then