Lead-footed drivers who are tired of paying for speeding tickets may want to take a good look at the new Ford S-MAX and its Intelligent Speed Limiter. Please note that this model has yet to be confirmed for North America, however.
The Blue Oval’s technology detects and reads speed limit signs on the side of the road before setting the vehicle’s cruise control accordingly and automatically. When there are no signs around, the system can use GPS data to determine the speed limit.
Rather than hitting the brakes, the Intelligent Speed Limiter cuts fuel delivery in order to smooth out the ride, Ford says. Drivers can still override the system by firmly depressing the throttle, but then they risk being caught speeding.
Ford may expand the use of the Intelligent Speed Limiter to other vehicles besides the S-MAX in the future. Asia and North America are expected to follow the lead of Europe.
Safety king Volvo also plans to launch a similar system in its new XC90 crossover.
