This US state is pushing to harness GPS technology to slow 'super speeders': How it works
Drivers weaving through highway traffic at high speeds – often referred to by state officials as “super speeders” – may soon find their gas pedals physically resisting them. Virginia is pushing a first-in-the-nation enforcement initiative that uses GPS technology to cap how fast repeat offenders can drive. The move comes as speed continues to fuel a roadway crisis that federal data links to more than 10,000 fatalities nationwide each year, prompting several other states to consider similar interventions.
‘Ignition Interlock’ for excessive speedThe devices, officially known as Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), operate much like the ignition-interlock systems long mandated for drunken drivers. While alcohol interlocks require a clean breathalyzer test before an engine can turn over, ISA systems focus strictly on keeping dangerous driving habits in check. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, since Virginia launched its pilot in July, roughly 100 speed-limiting devices have been installed in vehicles across the state.
Most participants were charged with or convicted of reckless driving, frequently for clocking speeds topping 100 mph. Agreeing to have the device installed allows offenders to keep driving rather than face an outright driver’s license suspension.
“We are talking about a small subset of drivers who are disproportionately causing harm on our roadways, and we finally have a tool that works. The big game-changer is that now all the roads are mapped for what their speed limits are,” said Amy Cohen, president of the advocacy group Families for Safe Streets.
How the GPS speed-limiting technology worksThe technology pairs real-time satellite positioning with comprehensive digital mapping to regulate vehicle velocity. The onboard system uses GPS to determine exactly where the car is traveling. It then compares the vehicle’s location against an internal map database of posted legal speed limits. If a motorist hits the gas pedal in an attempt to exceed the legal limit, the device restricts the vehicle from going faster.
Limited speed overrides remain built into the system, allowing drivers extra throttle for emergency maneuvers or highway merging.
The rollout, however, has encountered several initial technical hurdles. According to one motorist's attorney, a faulty reading caused a device to abruptly restrict a vehicle to 35 mph while cruising on a highway, forcing the driver onto the shoulder. Another user reported that while driving through an intersection, their device mistakenly locked onto the lower speed limit of an adjacent cross street.
State authorities and equipment manufacturers confirmed that these errors stem from “GPS drift”, a glitch where navigation hardware misidentifies a vehicle as traveling on a nearby frontage road or side street. Officials stated that an update addressing the problem will be deployed shortly.
Enforcement rules around the equipment remain strict. State officials noted that one participant attempted to tamper with the unit, an act that carries potential criminal charges. That individual subsequently complied with program mandates and has since exited the initiative.
‘Ignition Interlock’ for excessive speedThe devices, officially known as Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), operate much like the ignition-interlock systems long mandated for drunken drivers. While alcohol interlocks require a clean breathalyzer test before an engine can turn over, ISA systems focus strictly on keeping dangerous driving habits in check. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, since Virginia launched its pilot in July, roughly 100 speed-limiting devices have been installed in vehicles across the state.
Most participants were charged with or convicted of reckless driving, frequently for clocking speeds topping 100 mph. Agreeing to have the device installed allows offenders to keep driving rather than face an outright driver’s license suspension.
“We are talking about a small subset of drivers who are disproportionately causing harm on our roadways, and we finally have a tool that works. The big game-changer is that now all the roads are mapped for what their speed limits are,” said Amy Cohen, president of the advocacy group Families for Safe Streets.
How the GPS speed-limiting technology worksThe technology pairs real-time satellite positioning with comprehensive digital mapping to regulate vehicle velocity. The onboard system uses GPS to determine exactly where the car is traveling. It then compares the vehicle’s location against an internal map database of posted legal speed limits. If a motorist hits the gas pedal in an attempt to exceed the legal limit, the device restricts the vehicle from going faster.
Limited speed overrides remain built into the system, allowing drivers extra throttle for emergency maneuvers or highway merging.
The rollout, however, has encountered several initial technical hurdles. According to one motorist's attorney, a faulty reading caused a device to abruptly restrict a vehicle to 35 mph while cruising on a highway, forcing the driver onto the shoulder. Another user reported that while driving through an intersection, their device mistakenly locked onto the lower speed limit of an adjacent cross street.
State authorities and equipment manufacturers confirmed that these errors stem from “GPS drift”, a glitch where navigation hardware misidentifies a vehicle as traveling on a nearby frontage road or side street. Officials stated that an update addressing the problem will be deployed shortly.
Enforcement rules around the equipment remain strict. State officials noted that one participant attempted to tamper with the unit, an act that carries potential criminal charges. That individual subsequently complied with program mandates and has since exited the initiative.
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