What fleet managers think about ISA

“Technology that restricts drivers to the speed limit on a specific road is a good idea. But it will be a tough sell as drivers want control of the vehicle so they can react to the speed and behaviour of other drivers around them.

"Therefore, if we can manage speed ourselves through our own measures that is perhaps the best way forward. I always try and put myself in the position of my drivers.”

Danny Alborough, deputy group facilities manager, Gratte Brothers

 

“In principle, such technology is good, but it is highly complex and relies on the accurate mapping of speed limits and programmes that keep them current. I think we will see the technology in the future, but it must be managed sympathetically to win over drivers.

"They will be concerned about their ability to accelerate out of trouble and the potential for a rear-end shunt when the vehicle’s brakes are applied quickly as speed limits change from say 50 mph to 30 mph.

"We would also be concerned for the potential for vehicles to accelerate quickly when being driven out of a low speed limit to a higher speed limit.”

Damian James, ACFO chairman and head of operations at Bracknell Forest Council


“I think in a user-chooser fleet the technology would not be welcome and would be a hard sell to drivers.

"However, we put drivers on speed awareness courses and businesses could adopt the technology as another deterrent and a way to show the courts that they take speeding seriously and will do what they can with available solutions.

"It would be another tool that could be fitted to ensure the vehicle a driver is allocated to does not have the ability to speed.”

John Pryor, ACFO director and purchasing and contracts manager, Arcardia

 

There are three types of ISA:

  • The ‘advisory’ system shown here advises drivers (visibly and/or audibly) of the speed limit on the road they are travelling and possibly the speed they are travelling at. The driver then decides whether or not to slow down.
  • The ‘voluntary’ system ‘talks’ to a vehicle’s engine  management system and automatically stops the vehicle from accelerating if breaking the speed limit, but drivers may choose to switch the system into advisory mode.
  • The ‘mandatory’ system limits a vehicle’s speed automatically if the limit is exceeded, but the technology cannot be overridden by the driver.