Autocar - First for car news and reviews

Vauxhall has announced that the forthcoming Insignia will feature the option of a dual function camera capable of reading speed limit signs.
The system is claimed to be capable of reading signs from 100 metres in clear conditions, relaying speed limit information to a central display on the instrument panel.
Other manufacturers are developing similar systems, but GM is giving the new technology its debut. The forward-looking camera takes up to 30 shots a second, and will also be used to g...Read the full article

Interesting defence  - my car did not spot speed limit signs either officer

Cant wait till that come to court

It would be useful - far more so - if the system could have a memory card installed upon which it recorded footage of the journey, especially either side of an impact which could I am sure be easily detected with a little sensor.

I wonder if the camera could be programmed to recognise me ? So that when I go near a Vauxhall it immediately drives off by itself in exactly the opposite direction. Vauxhalls are irredeemably awful.

This is not a bad idea. I often find myself on unfamiliar roads wondering if what the speed limit is.

Couldn't agree more Robot. I've just got three points for driving at 70mph on an unfamiliar dual carriageway that was actually a 60mph road. (God knows why!) Saw the markings ahead so made sure I was doing an indicated seventy then FLASH FLASH WTF!!

Ian

Do I detect Vauxhall aiding the government by taking the first step towards removing the driver's ability to choose the driven speed...?

"Hello, is that the Caterham factory?...  Ahhh good.  Can I order a good old fashioned Seven please with carbs..... "

Am I the only one who is very very scared by this prospect. 

Why are cars built for the UK market with the ability to exceed 70mph?

TegTypeR:

Am I the only one who is very very scared by this prospect

It's not just this you should be scared by. Read this following quote out of Daily Torygraph....Honest John's column - always good for a chuckle.

 " friend of mine in Finland told me that his Volvo dealer automatically contacts him by letter exactly 1,000 kilometres before the next service is due. On enquiring how the dealer knew such information, he was told that the car has a GPS transmitter that reports back to Volvo. This sounds perilously like an advanced version of the "black box" vehicle tracker that the EU wants to introduce to spy on motorists. Is it true? If so, how many other manufacturers are spying on their customers?
P.W., Tonbridge

 

Yes, it's true. Vehicle telematics have been in development for about 10 years now. The same gizmo tells people where you are if you break down, so the recovery services help can pinpoint you exactly. If your mobile phone is switched on, you can be tracked to wherever you are anyway. Many high performance cars already have "black boxes" that record revs, maximum speeds reached and so on."

 Now to me THAT is scary.....