Ford’s new S-MAX will be hitting the road this summer in Europe with a a new feature designed to keep drivers out of trouble. The vehicle’s Intelligent Speed Limiter won’t allow you to speed.
Drivers can select the adjustable speed limiter that permits them to set a maximum vehicle speed or select Traffic Sign Recognition which updates them on the speed limit and any other restrictions in place.
Photos courtesy of Ford
The car doesn’t apply the brake if you’re going too fast, it reduces the amount of fuel delivered to the engine. Drivers can temporarily override the system if necessary.
The S-MAX also offers parking assistance and pedestrian detection.
~ Cynthia
This is Great Wonderful Ideas.. Thanks..
It is going to knock a lot of states out of “speeding ticket ” money, but I think that they will find something else to get drivers for.
I love it,why didn’t they think of this sooner. Now if they can come out with this on trucks that would be the cats meow.
I would not like that feature because there are times when you need an extra shot of speed to get passed someone and if the car doesn’t respond you could be in trouble.
I live in the UK and I would like a car that can take the worry of looking for speed cameras and trying to guess the next set of traffic signals, and let the driver concentrate on the road and direction
This will also save fuel and might decrease insurance costs in the near future.
Bad idea. All these electronics add cost to the car when purchasing, and when they require replacement. Besides, these kind of controls only increase the chance of distracted drivers by removing more responsibility from them. If you’re going to bet behind the wheel, my advice is to shut-up and drive.
Speed limit?!? What’s that?
I think it is a wonderful idea, especially for new drivers and teenagers and lead foot drivers. If it can help save some lives, put it in all vehicles.
Didn’t we try something like this when we had a 55 mph speed limiot?
If it wasn’t a Ford, I might trust it. But since it is, I have visions of it racing away at 120 mph and no way to stop it.
Too much to go wrong, and probably way too expensive to repair. Also a very sad indictment on the ability of drivers to obey the speed limit signs.
I have crossed over to the Ford now. I have one key programed to “MY Key” and it is programmed so that it will not go beyond 80mph, at 75 mph it beeps to let me know I’m approaching the limit. It is a bit annoying, but it certainly helps on long trips when you are prone to sneeking up on the speed.
Great idea, It will be very helpful for seniors ages 70 plus.
I definitely don’t like it! Why give control to someone or something else besides yourself?
It’s about time!
I do not like doors that automatically lock nor windows that go all the way down when you just want to crack them, I certainly won’t like this. Anything that dumb’s down society any farther is not a good thing. If you’re not smart enough already to know to obey the speed limit, you shouldn’t be driving. People will find ways to bypass this I’m sure and the one fellow is right when he says it will just be another added cost. For all of those who like big & bigger government always telling you how to live, they will like big industry telling them how to drive.
NO! I will fight giving up control of my car to anybody or anything but myself! If people would pay attention to their driving instead of texting, talking and god only knows what else, none of this stuff would be in the works at all.
AMEN! Well said Eileen.
Agreed, absolutely bad idea when do we stop allowing technology to control our life.
Sounds like a good idea-might save a few lives!
sorry, none of this is new, on the first year for Camaro..1967, it had a manual option to set a speed limit on the speedometer.
This is another example of technology making use lazier. Look at the fast food industry. People are to lazy to get out of their cars to go in and order food. Now the automobile industry is making it that you don’t have to think. You can sit in your and talk or text on your mobile phones while your car drives by itself. Safety features are one thing but these additions are for safety but to take the responsibly of driving out of the driver’s hands.
Bad idea! We have soundproofing in cars so people don’t hear the ambulance or firetruck about to run into them. Automatic parking so people don’t learn how to parallel park. Now speed recognition so you don’t have to look at your speedometer. What happens when the speed changes but the sign is covered with mud? If you don’t learn to parallel park, you don’t learn where your fenders are relative to your position in the car. And if you need a sudden burst of speed to avoid an accident, it sounds like it will take an unfamiliar procedure to override the car’s computer. That override procedure may mean the difference between life and death at highway speeds. But you probably won’t notice because your car will be doing so much for you that your brain will be disengaged and you won’t even see the danger coming. I want my car under MY control.
They will take my right to speed away from me only when they remove my cold, dead lead foot from the gas pedal.
There are times you need extra power to pull you out of you out of troubland it could be over the speed limit actually causing an accident. The Best solution is better drivers.
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Nope not for me, I prefer to be “in control” when I am driving. Focusing on all aspects of driving, including the speed limit, help me keep complete focus on driving. What happens when you do need that little bit of extra speed to pass a car for some reason? And what happens when some hacker figures out how to mess with this system on a moving car and causes it to speed up or slow down or ??? Plus it is just another system that can fail and potently cause huge repair bills…If I don’t feel like focusing my attention on the total driving experience, then I let someone else drive. Besides what’s wrong with cruise control? It is already in most vehicles these days, if you are on a long trip, set cruise control and you don’t have to worry about “speed creep” but if you DO need a bit of speed for a particular maneuver that you were unable to anticipate then you have it.