A new innovative technology that prevents vehicles from exceeding national speed limits is to be trialled on 47 London buses in the late summer. Intelligent Speed Adaption (ISA) was first outlined earlier this year as part of the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan.æ Making use of Transport for London's (TfL) Digital Speed Limit Map of the capital, it can recognise speed limits and restrict vehicles accordingly. Two different routes will be used to trial the technology: route 19 (Battersea to Finsbury Park) and route 486 (North Greenwich to Bexleyheath).æ Both have been chosen because they include a number of different road environments and multiple speed limits, guaranteeing a thorough test for the new technology. The trials _ which will run until the autumn _ should also help to increase awareness regarding the attitude of individual drivers and passengers to the technology and, if successful, could lead to its introduction across London's 8,700-strong bus fleet. Isabel Dedring, Deputy Mayor, TfL, said: 'London's buses are central to keeping the city moving and our fleet is one of the safest in the world. However, with nearly 9,000 buses on the Capital's roads it's clear they have a major role to play in continuing improvements in road safety. 'This trial is a great example of how we're harnessing innovation and new technology that will aide bus drivers on the job and help to improve the safety of other road users.î Leon Daniels, managing director of Surface Transport at TfL, added: 'London's bus drivers are some of the best trained in the world, carrying more than 6.5 million passengers a day. However, in a city that is becoming increasingly busy, it is important that we do everything we can to make our roads safe for all. 'Intelligent Speed Adaptation improves road safety by reducing incidences of speeding for all road users, allowing drivers to focus on looking out for potential issues on the road rather than checking their speed limit. 'If this trial confirms that this technology could be beneficial to the safety of London's roads, it could be introduced across our bus fleet.î The TfL's Digital Speed Limit map of London was re-launched last year in order to help spur development of in-vehicle technologies and mobile phone apps designed to make driving safer.
