Comments on: New BMW 7-Series Paves the Way for Speed Limiters

By: JJ

JJ — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:51:18 +0000

Yeah, the car will not slow down itself if you’re over the speed limit, it will just inform you that you are doing so, in case you didn’t mean to. Just like those electrical signs on the side of the road always saying “You’re driving too fast” with a sad smiley face.

Hopefully though, you can also turn this option off, and hopefully you’re insurance company can’t use the data to say “yeah, you were clearly doing 5 over the speed limit there, so I’m sorry but we won’t be able to cover the damage you caused with that collision”.

By: JEC

JEC — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:10:42 +0000

Uh, there is no mention of governors. It’s just a possibility. As it has been for many years. Having a HUD showing the limit is nothing that special. My TomTom shows the speed limit and glows red when I exceed it, OOOOOOOH! Big brother, blah blah.

By: CaliCarGuy

CaliCarGuy — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:09:31 +0000

ugghh im so sick of bmw wit these damn in car techno nannies. sooner or later we wont even have to drive a car anymore. and wat happens wen all this shit breaks down?

By: Kendahl

Kendahl — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:08:05 +0000

So much for BMWs being driver’s cars. With speed governed to match the posted limit, the only difference between a new 7 series and an old Caprice or Crown Vic would be $75,000. Actually, the latter would be superior since they wouldn’t have governors.

By: David Holzman

David Holzman — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:51:43 +0000

If the car were to change its speed automatically, it seems that would open the manufacturer to a suit if the car got rear ended.

By: SupaMan

SupaMan — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:45:36 +0000

@ Zarba

LMAO…i actually coughed up my water.

Good one!

By: TomAnderson

TomAnderson — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:30:40 +0000

Is it just me, or is BMW becoming less cool by the day?

By: psarhjinian

psarhjinian — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:24:45 +0000

Oh, the 7-Series, also known as “the car that proves BMW overextends itself” or “the German Acura RL”.

A note about the 7-Series: if you want to see the technology that BMW is going to back off from, greatly refine or outright omit from the 3-Series, you’ll see it in this car.

By: Zarba

Zarba — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:41:22 +0000

The other question is whether the car stores that data and could use it to void your warranty.

“We see where you were running 20 over on I-75 last month; therefore your warranty is void.”

By: Brendon from Canada

Brendon from Canada — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:24:32 +0000

Redbarchetta – aren’t you addressing the wrong problem with your reasoning? Sounds to me like the issue is with police/construction crews/whoever generating revenue by setting up “phony” construction zones. If this is in fact a grab for your wallet, won’t they simply change tactics if the car can accomodate the changes in speed?

(BTW, I’ve travelled large swatches of I75 – I know of what you speak – it’s a royal pain!)

By: SunnyvaleCA

SunnyvaleCA — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:22:39 +0000

Does this thing show a lower speed limit in case of dense fog or snow on the road? In the case of the snow, does it know the characteristics of the tires you are using?

HUD speed limit notification… now even more people than ever will go at a certain designated speed instead of driving at a safe speed.

By: Redbarchetta

Redbarchetta — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:17:11 +0000

I know this is a slippery slope but I don’t think it’s such a bad idea, AS LONG AS IT ISN”T INTRUSIVE. If the car isn’t changing the cars speed for you I see this as a good thing. There are huge stretches of I-75 from Florida to Atlanta where you don’t have a clue what the speed limit is because there isn’t a sign for 10 or more miles. And the speed varies so much on that trip with construction zones and just plain speed traps, going from 70 to 60 to 70 to 50 to 40 to 70. You can’t just set the cruise at 80 anymore and know you are safe.

Oh if any of you have done the stretch you will notice that anything with an orange barrel is a construction zone even if they finished construction a decade ago or won’t be starting it on that section for a year or 2.

By: alex_rashev

alex_rashev — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:16:12 +0000

Nutgonnahappen. Law-abiding citizens = billions in lost traffic enforcement revenue, and a carnage on the roads as people space out even more, now that watching for cops is no longer of any use.

I wonder if people would start sabotaging highway signs by gluing on cardboard posters with 15mph speed limits, just to mess with the luxobarge drivers and their fancy-ass cameras.