Ford has recently revealed that it is trialing a geofencing speed limit control system. The geofencing speed limit control system, as the name implies, uses geofencing technology to automatically reduce the speed of vehicles instead of relying on drivers to do so. To crudely put, it is a tech that will enforce a speed limit whether or not you like it.

Ford Geofencing Speed Limit Control System

Not going to lie. It may feel a little dystopia but we also have to understand that the intention is good. In Europe, up to 29 percent of road fatalities are pedestrians and cyclists.

To mitigate this, some countries set up 30 km/h (18.6 mph) zones in high risks areas such as areas around schools and hospitals so that vehicles travel more slowly in these zones.

Traveling at a slow speed allows drivers to have more time to react or god forbids, in the event of the inevitable, the impact speed is lower.

Ford Geofencing Speed Limit Control System
An example of geofencing of select areas.

Testing with the all-electric Ford E-Transit vans extends to all 30 km/h zones in the center of Cologne, Germany, and in select 50 km/h and 30 km/h zones elsewhere in the city.

Like I said the intention is good but logically speaking, some kind of override should exist in case the driver needs to go over the speed limit to avoid an accident.

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I am sure there is more to this tech to it than what we have learned. In fact, this 12-month long trial also builds on other recent Ford research projects aimed at improving road safety, including connected traffic light tech that automatically goes green to clear the routes for first responder vehicles and specific speakers inside the vehicle to alert drivers to the direction from which people and objects are approaching.

Images: Ford Europe.

Published by Mike

Avid tech enthusiast, gadget lover, marketing critic and most importantly, love to reason and talk.