The Guardian view on killing speed: a sensible restriction | Editorial

Speeding, one of the pleasures of modern life, will soon become technologically impossible. We will be well rid of itDriving fast on a clear road is for many people one of the pleasures of modern life. It seems to express all the feelings of power and autonomy that the daily grind so cruelly denies us. Speed limits then become just another petty restriction to be shoved aside by people glorying in their proper freedom. But now, it seems, all this is to come to an end. A directive approved by the European commission, which will apply in the UK whether or not we leave the EU, will require all new cars sold after 2022 to contain devices that will discourage drivers from speeding, either by limiting the effect of the accelerator pedal or simply by nagging them as seatbelt warnings do today. This technology already exists and was in fact widely welcomed by the motoring press when it appeared on the mass market Ford Focus.Once it becomes mandatory in all new cars though, we can expect resistance to increase. It is almost impossible to construct a good argument against the technological enforcement of existing law, but this won't stop people trying. One motoring journalist has already suggested that drivers will be so frustrated to find others are observing the speed limit that they will overtake them recklessly - and that will of course be the fault of the new technology, not the overtaking driver. Continue reading...