Motorists warned over bypassing new UK speed limit law despite it being legal to do so
Car experts are being warned about bypassing new speed limit laws imposed across the United Kingdom despite it being perfectly legal to do so.
Going live on Sunday (7 July), the measure is seen by many as another step towards restricting freedom of movement and having self-driving technology installed as standard across all motor vehicles.
The policy was first thought up back in 2022, with the European Union (EU) making it in to law. And despite the UK no longer being in the EU as a result of Brexit, the new speed limit rules have been issued across Blighty as well as our old mates in the political and economic body to ensure a simplified process for everyone involved in making, buying, and selling cars across Europe.
A rather logical rule change, it will result in a massive change to every car that is sold across the EU and UK. If you want to sell cars to the EU or buy cars made in the EU, then you've got to follow their rules.
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What is the law change?
From 7 July onwards, every car sold in the UK must have an Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) system fitted to it. It will be a legal requirement for all car manufacturers in the UK.
ISA systems are basically speed limiters imposed on your vehicle that quite literally stop you from exceeding legal parameters.
The new tech will also have to be retroactively fitted to older cars that are being re-sold, so if you're buying second hand from a local dealership, expect to be hit by the change just as much as those buying brand new.
How will it work?
The ISA system will use GPS and traffic-sign recognition cameras to detect changes in speed limits.
From there, it'll adjust the vehicle's speed accordingly.
The system provides something called 'haptic, audio, and visual warnings' if the speed limit is exceeded warning the driver about their speeding. In will also push back on the accelerator if ignored.
Can you stop the ISA system?
In short, yes. And it is legal to do so.
It can be temporarily overridden by pressing hard on the accelerator pedal.
But if you're that adamant about not letting the ISA system do its work and improve road safety, you'll have to do it every time you turn the car off and on.
To help those who might find the new system annoying, manufacturers are trying to work with motorists in a trial period up until the end of 2025. Car experts at XLCR Vehicle Management said: "Some drivers find the speed warnings annoying. To address this, manufacturers can choose from four alert options, including pedal feedback and visual/audio cues.
"The effectiveness of these alerts will be reviewed in December 2025 using anonymous data on ISA usage and overrides."
Why you shouldn't override the ISA system
The law has been changed for a reason and that's to protect people. Ultimately, the hope is to cut down on the amount of people who die on our roads as a result of going too fast.
"Removing the limiter for higher speeds or better fuel economy can be dangerous and illegal," XLCR Vehicle Management says. It can be illegal because if you plan on going above the speed limit, you're breaking the law. It's as simple as that.
The European Commission explains that the ISA system 'will push the driver’s foot gently back to make the driver aware and help to slow down'. But you can 'ignore this feedback and override the system by pushing slightly harder on the acceleration pedal'.
Tom Earnshaw