http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s773991.htm
Satellites to slow down speeding cars
Monday, 3 February 2003
France's notorious speedsters may face satellites next
A satellite control system that slows down speeding cars will be trialled
by the French government in an attempt to tackle the country's
persistently high death toll on the roads, according to news reports.
Dubbed the Self-Adapting Speed Restriction Limiter, or LIVIA under its
French acronym, the system will be installed in two vehicles - a Renault
and a Peugeot - to be driven on roads in the Yvelines region west of
Paris from May, Le Figaro newspaper reported.
Beacons on board will allow a satellite to locate the cars according to
different speed zones, and then communicate a command restricting fuel
supply if they travel over the speed limit.
"The accelerator will not function after the speed limit for a given area
has been reached - exactly as if you lifted your foot off the pedal
yourself," said Jean-Marc Blosseville, head of the Laboratoire sur les
Interactions V�hicules-Infrastructure-Conducteurs, the government
research centre that developed LIVIA.
However, there will be an over-ride function as well so that a driver can
slam on the speed to escape from a dangerous situation, Blosseville said.
Around 7,200 people died on French roads last year - a fall of six per
cent on 2001 but still almost double the figure in Britain, which has
roughly the same population. Australia, with a population less than half
of that of France, suffered just over 1,700 Australians road fatalities
last year.
The experiment will move into a second phase next year, when around 20
cars will be equipped with LIVIA and given to individuals to use in the
western Paris outskirts, Le Figaro reported.
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