Leaders gathered for a pivotal event hosted by Global NCAP and the World Bank to discuss the proven potential of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA). The conversation underscored how ISA can reduce speeds, prevent crashes, and ultimately save lives. The event highlighted its successful implementation in London and New York, rapid recent legislative progress in the United States, and the untapped potential for its deployment in low- and middle-income countries, including Bogotá, Colombia.

ISA: A proven solution

ISA has already demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing excessive speeds and mitigating road fatalities. Mandated in the European Union, this technology has gained substantial public support. Graziella Jost, Programme Director at the European Transport Safety Council, emphasized: "ISA helps make our cities more livable, makes kids safer, and takes brain overload off our plates. Our studies show that across the EU, the majority of people support the ISA requirement."

The data backs up these claims. In New York City’s fleet program, ISA reduced excessive speeding by 75%, with a 64% drop in overall speeding. Keith Kerman, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Fleet Officer at NYDCAS, said: "We’ve driven 4 million miles with ISA, it works. It is particularly effective for habitual speeders, with ISA decreasing their speed by 50%."

London has witnessed similar success, with a 95% reduction in excess speed incidents on vehicles equipped with ISA and a 64% drop in overall speeding. This has proven to be a critical example to set for the city overall, resulting in an overall drop in speeding across the entire road network. James Pickford Phimmai, Road Safety Strategy Manager at Transport for London, put it simply: "If we can’t change the culture on the vehicles we operate, how will we change the culture of vehicles in London itself?"

ISA's momentum in the US

Despite the current political climate in the US, ISA has gained traction, with legislative progress in seven states: New York, Virginia, Washington, Maryland, Georgia, California and Arizona. FIA Foundation’s North America Office & United Nations Representative, Natalie Draisin (see main image above), credited this success to grassroots advocacy and strategic policy approaches. The FIA Foundation is working with Transportation Alternatives to advance ISA in several states, recognizing that vehicles equipped with ISA today will continue saving lives for decades, including in countries where U.S. used cars are exported. She outlined eight ten key points, including eight lessons from the ISA movement and two ways to scale ISA in the future.

Eight lessons from state advocacy

1. Advocate for ISA at the state, rather than federal level and focus on aftermarket rather than built-in devices: Built-in mandates face industry resistance, whereas aftermarket advocacy has seen success.
2. Target chronic speeders: Policies focusing on excessive offenders (e.g., 100+ mph drivers) have moved faster through legislatures.
3. Build the right coalitions: The right mix of advocacy, political sponsorship, and lobbying is crucial.
4. Avoid media hype: Low-profile legislative efforts have often yielded quicker success.
5. Message in a bipartisan way: Different political perspectives find value in ISA for different reasons, yielding the same outcome.
6. Provide hands-on demonstrations: Seeing ISA in action shifts public perception.
7. Myth-bust: Speeding rarely saves time, and ISA does not impede emergency driving.
8. Leverage existing models: Legislation that follows existing structures in place for ignition interlocks have seen more success.

Two ways to scale ISA

1. Scale fleet adoption: This will drive industry-wide normalization, increase consumer acceptance, and move towards economies of scale.
2. Explore incentives: Use levers including: insurance incentives, state tax benefits, rebates, or subsidies; employer-based incentives; reduced registration fees; point reduction programs, etc.

ISA’s role in low- and middle-income countries: Bogotá, Colombia

ISA presents a game-changing opportunity for road safety in low- and middle-income countries, where 90% of the world’s road deaths occur. Claudia Diaz, Secretary of Mobility for Bogotá, emphasized its potential impact in the Colombian capital. With rapid urbanization and high traffic fatality rates, Bogotá is poised to lead ISA implementation in Latin America.

Claudia Adriazola-Steil, Director of Health & Road Safety at the WRI Ross Centre for Sustainable Cities, underscored the importance of ISA in non-traditional sectors: "Low- and middle-income countries can leapfrog regulation. ISA has life-saving potential, especially in motorcycles, buses, and among delivery personnel which are often under pressure to speed."

Michael Travers, President of Lifesaver, reinforced the urgency: "When the average age of a car in the U.S. is 14 years, and in Africa it’s 21 years, we can’t wait to have an impact on safety. ISA can be retrofit."

A collective push for safer roads

David Ward, President Emeritus of Global NCAP, summarized the strategy for widespread ISA adoption: "The winning formula for accelerated adoption of ISA is a regulatory push and demand pull." This dual approach—policy leadership and grassroots advocacy—has already transformed the road safety landscape in Europe and is now taking root in the US. With a concerted effort, ISA’s reach can extend even further, offering life-saving benefits to cities like Bogotá and beyond.

The event closed with a shared commitment from global stakeholders to accelerate ISA implementation, ensuring that speed management remains at the forefront of the road safety agenda.