The recent burst of publicity around the mandatory introduction of speed limiters on new cars from 2022 has certainly brought them to the attention of car buyers. But how will they be received?  Are they seen as a brilliant safety initiative that will save lives or an Orwellian intrusion adding to the danger of our roads by taking control away from the driver? Market research firm Simpson Carpenter questioned more than 1000 car buyers on behalf of Autocar to find out.  Supporters of speed limiters outnumber opponents by two to one: 49% are in favour of speed limiters, while 24% are opposed. But those with strong feelings on an issue are always the most vocal and here the gap is much narrower – 18% are strongly in favour while 12% are strongly opposed.  Support for speed limiters is strongest among women and those intending to buy a hybrid or electric car next time.  The most strongly opposed are those whose car has an engine size of 2.0 litres or bigger. Among this group, there are as many opponents as supporters (39% in each camp) and opponents are nearly twice as likely to feel strongly about the issue as supporters.  Reasons given spontaneously for favouring speed limiters focus on the expected improvement in road safety and the reduction in the number of people speeding.  Among supporters, those intending to buy a hybrid or electric car next time round are much more likely to point to road safety and reducing accidents as the reasons for their support. Older drivers are more likely to cite the reduction in the numbers speeding.  Questioned in more detail, a strong majority of car buyers agree that reducing speeds will be good for the environment and will save thousands of lives each year. Nevertheless, there are major reservations: more than half think that drivers are better than technology at deciding on the right speed. Nearly half (47%) think speed limiters are a major intrusion into personal liberty and 41% believe they’ll cause more accidents than they prevent.  What is remarkable is the stark difference in opinion between those in favour and those opposed to speed limiters, particularly in relation to their safety benefits and their intrusiveness. Nine in 10 of those in favour believe speed limiters will save thousands of lives each year. In contrast, more than eight in 10 of those opposed believe speed limiters will cause more accidents than they prevent. Almost nine in 10 opponents see them as a major intrusion into personal liberty, with as many as six in 10 feeling very strongly about their intrusiveness.  The bad news for the industry is that many new car buyers plan to take avoiding action. Half of those against speed limiters say they will delay their next purchase so they can keep on driving without restriction and a further 30% say they will buy used rather than new. Even among those in favour of speed limiters in principle, nearly one in four will seek to avoid them.  The good news is that one in four of those who support speed limiters say they would now be more likely to buy a new car. However, the net effect looks like being another drag on new car
Origin: Analysis: why the public is split on speed limiters