The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is urging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require the implementation of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology in new automobiles. This recommendation comes in response to a tragic multi-vehicle accident in North Las Vegas last year that claimed nine lives.
ISA technology utilizes a combination of GPS location, onboard cameras, and a database of published speed limits to ensure that drivers maintain safe and legal speeds. Passive ISA systems alert drivers through visual, auditory, or haptic signals when they exceed the speed limit, while active systems make it more difficult to exceed the speed limit.
The NTSB’s recommendation aims to reduce accidents related to speeding, incidents of driving under the influence of alcohol, and repeated speeding violations. The agency also calls on the NHTSA to educate the public about the benefits of ISA, update guidelines for state road safety programs to identify and track repeat speed offenders, develop countermeasures to reduce repeated speeding violations, and incentivize the adoption of ISA through programs like the New Car Assessment Program.
In addition to its recommendations to the NHTSA, the NTSB has also advised 17 car manufacturers to install ISA in all new passenger vehicles. The goal is to create a collective effort to address the problem of speed and improve road safety.
Overall, the NTSB emphasizes the importance of redundancy and collective action in saving lives and preventing accidents caused by human errors. By implementing ISA technology in new automobiles, it is believed that the risks associated with excessive speed can be significantly reduced.
FAQs
1. What is Intelligent Speed Assistance technology?
Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology is a system that utilizes a car’s GPS location, onboard cameras, and a database of published speed limits to help ensure that drivers maintain safe and legal speeds. It can alert drivers when they exceed the speed limit and even make it harder to exceed it.
2. How does ISA contribute to road safety?
ISA technology helps prevent accidents caused by speeding by providing drivers with warnings and reminders to stay within the speed limit. By implementing ISA in new automobiles, the goal is to reduce accidents related to speeding and create a safer driving environment.
3. What other measures does the NTSB recommend?
In addition to implementing ISA, the NTSB recommends educating the public about the benefits of ISA, updating guidelines for state road safety programs, developing countermeasures to reduce repeated speeding violations, and incentivizing the adoption of ISA through programs like the New Car Assessment Program.
4. Why is the NTSB urging car manufacturers to install ISA?
The NTSB believes that installing ISA in all new passenger vehicles is a crucial step towards improving road safety and preventing accidents caused by speeding. By urging car manufacturers to adopt this technology, the NTSB hopes to create a collective effort to address the problem of speed on our roads.