Will a speed control device be fitted in UK cars by the end of 2009?

I'm just waiting for the day when a government official is sent to collect me on a bus, a nutritionist helps me select what food I eat, a budget director tells me what clothing I can afford and I am taken only to the stores that meet the criteria they've set forth for me.

Different thought here...it does makes me smile to think those fancy little high performance motors will mean nothing if this comes to fruition.

Hmm, it's fairly easy to see a few cars getting one of these, but how many will it take to generate a story in the major mainstream news media? I have no clue.

THERE is no lead story for this please supply.

Here's a story that speaks to it being voluntary:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/31/carbon-emissions-transport

hm, i found out the other night that my car has a governor chip that prohibits me from going more that 110 MPH. Once i hit 110 i start coasting until I'm down to about 105.... and was I mad to find out about that! I would never consider one of these.

how would it work anyways? Just floor it all the time and let the car decide how fast you go? what about those times when going faster will actually let you maneuver away from an accident or change lanes?

I just read an article about this and it makes me GRATEFUL for the current state of American politics... you UK people are effed.

This reminds me of an old news story that is worth repeating:

Higher Speed Limits, Lower Death Rates
Statistics surprise many observers of state's highways

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1998/11/02/MN65128.DTL

When California revved up speed limits nearly three years ago, critics predicted highway carnage as drivers sped past the new 65 mph signs -- and into trouble.

It didn't happen. Fewer people died in California auto wrecks last year than in any year in the past four decades, despite a doubled state population and triple the number of vehicles on the road.

A total of 3,671 people died, far below the peak of 5,503 in 1979 and 5,500 as recently as 1987. This year, the death toll is running nearly 300 lower than the same period last year, California Highway Patrol Commissioner D.O. Helmick said.

``I for one am not going to tell you that raising speed limits in California has created a major problem,'' he said. ``We have never seen this kind of reduction in my 30 years on the highway patrol.''

They're not going to do it because the government receives a lot of money from speed cameras. If the cars are forced to go within the speed limit via such a device, nobody would get speeding tickets. Which means less money for the government.

wow. good points rds