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Satnav to tell drivers to slow down

14/05/08

Satnav systems could soon be used to tell drivers when to slow down as a new road safety system is being developed.

If implemented, the system could dramatically reduce the number of accidents on the roads and affect car insurance premiums.

Transport for London (TfL) is currently devising a digital map of the capital, which will contain information on speed limits for every road within the M25, reports the Daily Mail.

Drivers will be able to download the digital map on to their satnavs, which will then warn them if they are driving above the speed limit.

Chris Lines, road safety chief at TfL, told MPs on the Commons transport select committee: "Casualties are very much linked to speed. There is a definite role there to be played by having vehicles which actually keep to the speed limits and perhaps longer term we can use vehicle technology to manage speed."

He added that tests in Europe have shown that "people actually quite like using it" and would voluntarily have it fitted to their vehicle.

TfL will trial the system in ten of its own cars and vans but drivers will have the option of disabling the system by switching it off.

The news comes as it was reported last month that personal navigation software firm NDrive has launched what it claims is the world's first photo mapping satnav system.

According to NDrive, the system will feature real life photo images instead of the traditional one dimensional or three dimensional maps, which will enable drivers to see what their journey will look like in real-life.

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