Big Brother is watching a fleet of London-owned Prii outfitted with a special black box that combines GPS location and a speed limit map to control the top speed the cars can reach.
A dozen Prius hybrids outfitted with the system have been cruising London for about a month now, with buses and taxis to be added later in the year. The aim of the experiment is improving the public welfare, with a target of reducing the number of accidents and the fatality rate. So far the Minister of Truth Transport for London road safety chief Chris Lines says the reviews are mixed and trending positive, with some drivers actually liking the system as it prevents speeding tickets, though some have noted the long line of cars trapped behind and causing further congestion. Public safety aside, such monitors should be viewed warily, as they'd be a great way to levee automatic taxes on those who would exceed the limit, should those boxes ever be mandated. [AutoWeek]