Ford trialling geofence GPS technology to prevent speeding

In a move to further expand the use of technology to assist with road safety for both drivers and pedestrians, Ford of Europe is testing a geofence system that will help govern a vehicle’s speed depending on where (and when) it is.

Geofencing technology utilises GPS data to define a virtual geographic region. When a vehicle enters a region with a lower speed limit – even something like a school zone, which is time-dependent – the vehicle alerts the driver and gradually reduces speed to match the limit set within the fence.

A geofence can define a road (like a dual carriageway), a region (like a city’s urban centre), or a facility (like a logistics hub).

The system is being tested in Cologne, Germany, and while the driver can override the geofence speed parameters, the thinking is that having the car automatically slow down when entering an area will reduce the risk of drivers missing speed signs (or timed zones) on routes that are unfamiliar to them.

This in turn improves safety for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as drivers themselves.

Ford is using a pair of fully-electric E-Transit vans in the trial, with all 30km/h and 50km/h zones in and around the city included within the geofence database.

The trial will run for 12 months and may form the basis for future driver assistance technology to be rolled out to consumer vehicles.