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All new cars in the UK will have speed-limiting technology by 2022

New speed-limiting technology will be fitted to all new vehicles in the UK and Europe by 2020.

All new vehicles sold in Europe will be fitted with speed-limiting technology from 2022, after a ruling from the European Commission. The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed the new rule would apply in the UK, despite what happens with Brexit.

The ruling comes after statistics were published by a road safety charity which lists speeding as a contributing factor to a quarter of all fatal road accidents.

Here's some information about the new technology, what it means for motorists and how the industry has responded.

How does speed-limiting technology work?

The technology, known as 'Intelligent Speed Assistance', uses road sign recognition cameras and GPS data to alert drivers when they're speeding. The car will then automatically slow down if they're exceeding the limit.

Drivers can temporarily overrule the technology by pressing down hard onthe accelerator to complete a manoeuvre.

When is this new technology being developed?

This technology is already being used by big manufacturers such as Citroën, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Renault and Volvo.

From 2022, all vehicles sold in the UK and Europe must have ISA fitted.

How has the industry reacted?

Critics are concerned that the technology in its current state isn't nearly sophisticated enough. For example, many cars already have front-facing cameras, but there's uncertainty over whether the road sign recognition isadvanced enough.

Road safety charity, Brake, said that this is a landmark ruling for road safety, and the Association of British Insurers think premiums could be reduced as a result.

What do we think?

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management's Head of Business Sales, Kieran Doherty, said: 'It's a really exciting time for the automotive industry. We always welcome discussion that involves new and innovative ways of improving road safety. The technology as we see it today is still in its infancy, so there will need to be improvements before it becomes mandatory two years from now'.

Find out more about the most common causes of road accidents.

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