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India Adopts Intelligent Speed Assistance: Combat Road Accident Fatalities
India ranks among the top countries globally for road accidents. This is unsurprising given its vast size and large population, the second largest in the world. With more people, the number of vehicles also increases. However, India has one of the worst records for fatalities due to road accidents.
Speeding is a significant factor in road accidents in India. Many Indians have a penchant for driving fast. To address this, speed alert systems like driver fatigue alerts are now standard in most modern cars. These systems beep when the car exceeds 80kmph, alerting the driver.
The warning continues if the car surpasses 120kmph, the maximum speed limit according to the Indian Motor Vehicles Act. The system not only gives audible beeps but also displays a visual warning on the car's infotainment screen.
This technology, known as Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), adjusts based on the type of road and its permissible speed limit. For instance, within city limits, the maximum speed is 50kmph, while on highways, it can go up to 120kmph.
A camera mounted on the car and GPS data with government-set speed limits make this possible. In other countries, ISAs have evolved to include visual and voice alerts as well.
Global Adoption and Future Prospects
Despite their safety benefits, ISAs are not yet mandatory in cars. However, this is expected to change with the European Union making ISAs mandatory in all new cars from July. A US insurance company study revealed that 60 per cent of road users prefer having ISA systems in their cars.
India's Road Safety Initiatives
The Indian government has been taking steps to improve road safety. The introduction of Bharat NCAP last year was significant. The quality of roads has also improved due to efforts by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Experts suggest that making ISA mandatory could enhance road safety, especially in rural areas where people may not be aware of speed limits compared to metropolitan cities.
DriveSpark Thinks
The Indian government has been making several attempts to improve road safety with initiatives like mandating up to six airbags in cars sold in India. It wouldn't be surprising if ISA becomes mandatory soon. However, cars with these advanced systems will likely be more expensive.
While ISA systems alert drivers about overspeeding, they only work if the driver was unaware of speeding. The adoption of such technologies could significantly improve road safety in India.
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