This is all that is more concrete, since the law was published in the Official Journal, after being voted by the European Parliament last week. The system called ISA (Intelligent Speed ​​Assistance) will have to be mandatory in all new vehicle models from 2022, and in all new cars from 2024. Vehicles already in circulation are therefore not affected. But what is this cruise control assistant?

A very advanced speed limiter

You already know the speed limiter, and its operation is simple: you set a speed, you activate it, and the vehicle does not exceed the chosen limit even if you try to accelerate.

The ISA goes much, much further. The text of the law specifies that the manufacturer has the choice of equipment: either by cameras or by geolocation. But, according to TomTom, the best solution actually combines the 2: cameras that analyze the signs to find out the speed limit in the area, coupled with geolocation to refine knowledge of the said limit, especially when the signs are " implicit" (motorway entrance, town exit) and that they do not clearly indicate a number. TomTom also announces that around 60% of limitations in Europe are "implicit". We then better understand the role of cartography in the analysis of the limitation at a time T…

Obviously, for TomTom, this new device is a financial boon, since the firm specializes in cartography. The obligation of the presence of the ISA is therefore an additional market!

How it works ?

The objective of this new assistant is not to suddenly cut the acceleration of the vehicle each time the limit is exceeded. Rather, it is a question of warning the driver by audible and visual alerts that he is driving too fast. However, the ISA has an additional scope: it can also play on the engine management to "automatically decelerate" the vehicle in proportion to the acceleration. Put simply: if you accelerate hard to exceed the authorized speed, the ISA will decelerate as hard, and vice versa. Unpublished, therefore.

But don't jump too fast: it will be possible to deactivate this restraint by "exerting stronger pressure on the accelerator pedal". It's a bit the same principle as for a simple speed limiter deactivating by the small "notch" of the end of the accelerator run, especially in the case of overtaking. Above all, the text of the law provides that the ISA must be able to be deactivated relatively easily by the driver, via a menu or a button.

Clearly, it is above all an additional driving aid which will be activated by default each time the vehicle is started, as may be lane keeping with certain manufacturers.

What are the special cases?

For the ISA to be effective, it obviously needs up-to-date mapping. According to Euro NCAP standards, vehicles must have a quarterly update "for at least 6 years". TomTom specifies that "the ISA system sets the period for updating the system at 14 years". The short and medium term would therefore not be a problem, but what about the opportunity on older vehicles in the years to come?

And then there is this specific case which does not seem to be addressed by the text of the law: if the ISA is mainly aimed at speeding, will it work for people driving too slowly and also creating dangerous? As we know, it's not just excessive speed that is an aggravating factor, it's more generally the speed difference between vehicles...

Finally, how not to talk about speed cameras! These devices, whose operation is essentially based on tax revenue, could well find it difficult to justify their existence in the future if the ISA becomes widespread and speeding becomes more and more rare. How will France and other European countries justify their increased presence on the territory with the enthronement of the ISA in the years to come? That's the big question.