Speeding Into the Future: How Intelligent Speed Assistance Could Shape Safer Roads

Issue Alert by Policy Analyst, Katie Lee | klee@csg.org

Every year, speeding remains a large factor in traffic accidents, contributing to 29 percent of fatal crashes (12,151 fatalities) and 13 percent of total people injured (300,595 injured) in car-related incidents.¹ Despite ongoing efforts to curb speeding through law enforcement and public awareness campaigns, the problem persists. Technology has the potential to provide an alternative solution, ensuring that drivers stay within speed limits without thinking about it. Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) systems, which automatically monitor and regulate a vehicle’s speed, are being increasingly integrated into modern cars as a potential solution. However, as these systems gain traction, questions arise about their practicality, effectiveness, and impact on drivers’ vehicle control.

ISA systems leverage advanced tools like GPS, speed limit recognition, and real-time vehicle control to ensure drivers adhere to posted speed limits. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ISA systems can vary from minimal systems that provide information to active speed limit control that could be mandatory or voluntary (i.e., with on/off activation switches).

Systems May:

Provide information only (display the speed limit and changes).
Provide visual or audible alerts when the speed limit is exceeded, but the driver can decide how to react (termed open system).
Provide accelerator resistance to make speeding more difficult, but still possible (termed half-open).

This system is like cruise control, except the speed limit (not the driver) determines when to engage speed resistance. Drivers may be able to turn off the system with a switch and automatically prevent speeding above the speed limit (mandatory speed compliance).²

Manufacturers and Cost

Several automotive manufacturers and tech companies are involved in developing and implementing ISA systems. Some of the main companies that produce or integrate ISA technology into vehicles include:

Car manufacturers: Companies like Volvo³, Ford⁴, Volkswagen⁵, Toyota⁶, and BMW⁷ have started integrating ISA technology into their vehicles.
Technology suppliers: Companies like Bosch⁸ and Continental AG⁹ supply the sensors and software for ISA functionality, including GPS-based systems, cameras, and radar sensors for detecting speed limits.
Startups and specialty manufacturers: Some companies provide aftermarket ISA solutions, such as Mobileye (owned by Intel), which specializes in advanced driver assistance systems that can be used for ISA.¹⁰ Companies like Rostra, an automotive accessories manufacturer, offer cruise control, vehicle camera systems, and fleet vehicle speed limiters that can retroactively be installed in certain vehicles.¹¹

The cost of installing ISA systems in vehicles varies depending on their age. Many newer cars already have the technology needed for ISA systems, like front cameras, rear cameras, and speed limit detection, which would lessen the cost of installing other technology for ISA systems.

The MAPFRE foundation, a Spanish non-profit organization, states that in the European Union, costs can range from 300 € to 1000 € ($312 – $1040) depending on the driving assistance systems included in the vehicle.¹²

Panelists in the webinar, Safer Fleets Challenge: How Adopting Intelligent Speed Assistance Can Make Your Communities Safer, hosted by the non-profit America Walks, stated that retrofitting vehicles with ISA technology could cost upwards of $1250 per vehicle.¹³

Studies and Implementation

The European Union mandated that ISA systems be mandatory for new vehicle models introduced on the market starting July 2024.

Car manufacturers can choose from four options of system feedback to the driver:

Cascaded acoustic warning.
Cascaded vibrating warning.
Haptic feedback through the acceleration pedal.
Speed control function.¹⁴

All forms of ISA in the EU can be overridden easily. For example, the speed control function, where car speed is automatically reduced, can be overridden by the driver pressing the accelerator pedal a little bit deeper.

In addition to international efforts to implement ISA systems, several studies have been conducted in the United States to explore the potential impact of this technology on road safety, driver behavior, and traffic efficiency.

While the U.S. has not yet adopted nationwide regulations for ISA systems, a growing body of research provides insights into how these systems could be integrated into the American driving landscape. These studies examine how ISA systems may affect driving habits, the acceptance of ISA systems, and their effectiveness in reducing speeding-related accidents.

According to the studies outlined above, ISA systems could significantly reduce speed-related accidents and improve road safety. However, many U.S. drivers value control over the vehicle, and the idea of automated systems could raise apprehension.

In the Reagan and Cicchino study, only around 50 percent of respondents agreed with implementing ISA systems with a supportive accelerator pedal or an intelligent speed limiter.¹⁵

Legislation In The United States

Enacted Legislation

Under the STEER Act of 2024, the D.C. area can now install an intelligent speed assistance system in the vehicles of drivers convicted of reckless driving. This is part of a new pilot program that automatically limits the car’s speed. The act requires that those enrolled in the ISA program pay all costs associated with enrolling and participating in the program.

The STEER Act is the only legislation that has been passed concerning ISA systems in the United States.¹⁶
Five states have introduced legislation in 2025 allowing ISA systems to be installed in vehicles of individuals who have their licenses revoked or have some speeding violations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) systems offer a potential solution to reducing speeding-related accidents, which remain a leading cause of fatalities and injuries on the road. By automatically monitoring and regulating vehicle speeds, ISA systems can improve compliance with posted speed limits, potentially saving lives and reducing the overall impact of traffic incidents.

As automotive manufacturers and tech companies increasingly integrate these systems into vehicles, ISA technology holds great potential to improve road safety, particularly as legislative support for its implementation grows.

However, challenges remain regarding the widespread adoption of ISA systems, particularly in terms of driver acceptance and the cost of installation. Drivers have concerns about losing control of their vehicles even though many of them support speeding prevention.

As technology evolves and more data becomes available, ISA systems have the potential to play a critical role in shaping the future of safer, more efficient roadways.

References

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Traffic Safety Facts 2022 Data,” July 2024, https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813582.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Intelligent Speed Assistance,” Countermeasures that Work, https://www.nhtsa.gov/book/countermeasures-that-work/speeding-and-speed-management/countermeasures/other-strategies-1.
Volvo, “Intelligent Speed Assist,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.volvocars.com/mt/support/topic/248a54e6dab2167cc0a801516b909916/.
Ford Media Center, “Ford Intelligent Speed Limiter Can Help Put the Brakes On Incurring Newly Raised Speeding Fines,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/feu/gb/en/news/2017/04/26/ford-intelligent-speed-limiter-can-help-put-the-brakes-on-incurr.html.
Volkswagen, “IQ.DRIVE is Safety-Enhancing Intelligence That Is Convenient and Can Help Improve Your Everyday Driving Experience,” IQ Drive, accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.vw.com/en/iq-drive.html.
Toyota Safety Hub, “Toyota Safety Sense™,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.toyota.com/safety-sense/srchid=SEM:7934016657:GOOGLE:385392979:159243158075:305935890897:689797825096&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_sourc=CjwKCAiAqrG9BhAV
EiwAaPu5zrkKWf0RXDAvjkvD4SBMRa4H6BPsb2QQmBYsfxLXvwvZXl_kCnZzohoCZpQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds.
BMW, “All About BMW Driver Assistance,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.bmwusa.com/explore/driver-assistance-safety-features.html.
Bosch, “Bosch Driving Assist,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.bosch-mobility.com/en/solutions/automated-driving/bosch-driving-assist/.
Continental AG, “Advanced Safety Technologies,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.continental.com/en-us/products-innovation-1/safelythere/advanced-safety-technologies-2/.
Mobileye, “Intelligent Speed Assist Shows the Power of Mobileye’s Vision,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.mobileye.com/blog/intelligent-speed-assist-isa-computer-vision-adas-solution/.
Rostra, “Commercial Vehicle Blind Spot Detection System,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.rostra.com/index.php.
MAPFRE Foundation, “Intelligent Speed Assistance,” accessed Feb. 24, 2025, https://www.fundacionmapfre.org/en/education-outreach/road-safety/adas-systems/types/intelligent-speed-assistance/.
America Walks, “Safer Fleets Challenge: How Adopting Intelligent Speed Assistance Can Make Your Communities Safer,” YouTube, April 12, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYTSV-Vt4Mo.
European Commission, “European Road Safety Charter,” https://road-safety-charter.ec.europa.eu/resources-knowledge/media-and-press/intelligent-speed-assistance-isa-set-become-mandatory-across.
Reagan, I., and J. Cicchino, “ISA in the USA? The Likelihood of U.S. Drivers Accepting and Using Intelligent Speed Assistance,” Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behavior, Feb. 2025, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1369847824003450.
Council of the District of Columbia, “D.C. Law 25-161 Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility (STEER) Amendment Act of 2024,” 2024, https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/laws/25-161.