High-Tech Electric Cars Warn Drivers of 80mph Speed Limits Near Schools

Advanced technology in electric and hybrid vehicles has faced criticism for suggesting drivers can maintain 80mph in 30mph areas — such as n...

Advanced technology in electric and hybrid vehicles has faced criticism for suggesting drivers can maintain 80mph in 30mph areas — such as near schools.

The (TSR) system utilizes specialized cameras to detect signs and alerts drivers through audio and visual signals regarding environmental conditions, such as speed limits.

Nevertheless, online forums are filled with users expressing frustration that the feature—now included as standard in the high-end £55,000 Mazda CX-60 and £37,000 Volvo XC40—has been incorrectly identifying speed limits and triggering alerts indicating they are in 80mph, 90mph, and even 100mph zones—none of which are recognized under UK traffic regulations.

A driver mentioned he was told he could drive at 80mph in a Sainsbury’s parking lot, another stated the issue leads to 'chaos' near schools, and a third person said: 'So far it has misread ten as 70, 19 as 90, and 30 as 80. It's extremely hazardous.'

Although incorrect alerts may be disregarded, certain driver assistance systems connect TSR with adaptive cruise control. This might lead the vehicle to abruptly speed up or slow down automatically to comply with a misinterpreted speed limit.

This may lead to hazardous scenarios, particularly with high-performance vehicles like the £96,000 Porsche Macan Turbo, capable of accelerating from 0 to 60mph in just 3.3 seconds.

A Porsche Macan owner named Helen shared online: 'The speed limit recognition system has never functioned properly (or securely) since I acquired the vehicle, so I've had to disable the feature.'

After the previous attempt, the car suddenly dropped from 70mph to 5mph because it misread a 50mph sign. Fortunately, there was nothing fast or heavy behind me, allowing me to quickly resume control.

Mazda CX-60 owner Richard Wright, 45, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, said to the Mail: 'The vehicle features a heads-up display, which projects essential driving information onto the windshield in front of you, such as the speed limit. This is intended to prevent you from needing to glance down at your standard gauges.'

When persistent alerts indicate you should be driving at 80mph in a 30mph area, or slowing to 5mph in a 50mph zone, it becomes highly distracting.

On several instances, it has made me apply the brakes while I was driving safely and legally. It is a significant problem.

In other car discussion boards, Fallyn Kinsella wrote: 'It always happens in specific areas, especially where the road speed limit drops to 20mph near schools - it causes chaos with the signs.'

Stephen Gauld mentioned observing '80 showing' in the Sainsbury's parking lot, Chloe Byrne expressed concern over being told she could drive 80mph in a 60mph zone, and Liz Robinson commented: 'It does that frequently here in a 30 area.'

A person mentioned frequent problems, with 'speed limits displayed as 5mph, 80mph, or 100mph - on roads that were actually 30, 40, 50mph.'

The problem seems to have persisted for over a year, as dealers apparently kept selling the vehicles without notifying customers about the issue.

Driver assistance technology combines cameras and GPS information to detect speed limit signs and present them on the vehicle's dashboard. This system aims to assist drivers in maintaining safety by consistently displaying the correct speed limit.

However, the technology has shown to be unstable, misreading labels on trucks or signs along side roads. Volkswagen has recently chosen not to include it in vehicles in Australia, stating that the feature was ' rushed to market' by rivals and susceptible to 'mistakes'.

Last night, Mazda UK mentioned that it is looking into the matter following communication from the Mail.

A representative stated, "The safety features installed in vehicles are supplementary tools for the driver, but it is the driver's duty to keep track of road conditions, speed, and traffic signs while operating the vehicle. We are currently looking into the matter and will inform our colleagues at Mazda Motor Corporation."

Porsche mentioned that it is developing a solution, but noted that poorly visible or ambiguous traffic signs can interfere with the system.

A representative stated, "Porsche Macan owners will soon receive a new software update, which can be installed at no cost at Porsche Centres. This update includes recent system enhancements and further improves the driving experience."

Among other characteristics, this will bring additional advancements to the traffic sign recognition system. The driver is still required to remain attentive at all times and take action when uncertain. Additionally, the adaptive cruise control feature on the Macan is available as an option, and the customer has the ability to disable it.

Volvo was contacted.

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