British drivers may have to retrofit speed limiters to their cars due to a major European Union driving rule change set to come into effect in July.
Vehicles sold in showrooms across the EU must be fitted with Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology from July 7.
Despite Brexit, the UK could decide to follow suit which would have a major impact on manufacturers and drivers.
Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, has warned refusing to have the technology fitted could backfire.
He also warned drivers who opt to “uncode” the technology from their vehicles could also be caught out.
Graham explained: “While it might seem like an innocent change to the car’s set-up, doing so could have serious implications.
“A car is fitted with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) like ISA for a very good reason, and a manufacturer could take a very dim view of that technology being bypassed.
“You could very easily void a manufacturer’s warranty by doing so. That’s also not to mention the potential electrical gremlins you could unleash by having any car ‘chipped’, which could also see you falling foul of a warranty.”
ISA technology uses GPS data and cameras to identify local speed limits which are then fed into the vehicle.
The technology only limits engine power which will prevent a vehicle from accelerating past the limits. However, the brake pedal is never applied meaning motorists won’t suddenly decelerate on busy roads.
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has previously claimed new ISA technology would reduce crashes by around 30 percent.
Officials have warned the move is likely to cut road deaths by a staggering 20 percent.
Mike Hawes, president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), has previously pointed out that ISA technology is already fitted in many vehicles.
However, he hinted ISA systems could well be introduced more widely to ensure similar regulations between UK and EU markets.
He said: “Some manufacturers have already been offering these technologies to consumers ahead of any regulations, including Intelligent Speed Assistance, and will continue to do so across the UK.
“With the heavily integrated nature of the UK and European automotive sectors, regulatory divergence is not advantageous for either party.”