# Speed Limiter



## Deadhead (11 mo ago)

Test drove a 3 and a Y back to back on Saturday. It turns out the French government will chip in 6000€ to the cost of a standard 3. So although we marginally preferred the Y we couldn't resist the deal on the 3 and ordered one.
But here's the thing, here in Europe roads are crowded and there are speed enforcement cameras everywhere. And every time you are caught you lose points on your driving license. Lose too many and you get a ban. So, for the past nearly 20 years every car I've owned has had a speed limiter - Jeeps, Renaults, Peugeots, Mercedes ... So I set a limit which means I can slow down by lifting my foot for rural bends, pedestrians, other hazards ... and when it's safe I can speed up again whilst not being in danger of breaking the law. And when the posted limit changes, with one touch I can change the limit in the car.
I now find that Teslas don't do this.
Should I cancel my order?


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Deadhead said:


> So I set a limit which means I can slow down by lifting my foot for rural bends, pedestrians, other hazards ...


All Teslas can do this. Just set "Regen" to "Standard".
It's one of the great features of electric cars. Not only do you slow down, but it also uses the motors to generate electricity to recharge the battery while doing so.

No "limit" is required (or available) for this feature. If you've ever heard of "one-pedal driving", this is what people are referring to. You very rarely have to use the brake pedal. This is also how brake pads can often last the life of the car, or at least several times as long as for a combustion vehicle.


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## skygraff (Jun 2, 2017)

I’ve never tested it but there is a speed limit mode toggle on the Security screen of the app which allows a range of 50mph-90mph (or metric equivalents) when engaged.

Strangely, not in the current OM.


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## skygraff (Jun 2, 2017)

As for one touch in the car, there really isn’t a limiter (unless you have TACC engaged) but you can have a visual and auditory alert when you exceed the posted speed limit by whatever amount you set.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

skygraff said:


> I've never tested it but there is a speed limit mode toggle on the Security screen of the app which allows a range of 50mph-90mph (or metric equivalents) when engaged.
> 
> Strangely, not in the current OM.


I believe that sets an absolute limit. The car will never allow you to go above that speed.

I think Deadhead is describing something different. The car lets you go above the limit, but when you lift off the accelerator, the car automatically slows down to the limit? I admit, I've never heard of such a feature before. Although, it does sound a bit like "cruise control". @Deadhead , are you describing "cruise control"?


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## Deadhead (11 mo ago)

Nope. Although on my current Mercedes its controlled on the same lever. What I use differs from cruise control in that the driver controls the vehicle using the accelerator pedal but when you try to exceed the limit you’ve set it won’t let you. You can “kick down” through it if you press the pedal really hard. Or you just move the lever to change the limit up or down 10 kph at a time.
It means that in heavy traffic in complicated European cities I can devote all of my attention to the road - pedestrians, cycles, scooters, children, and so on - and not worry about exceeding the limit.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Deadhead said:


> Nope. Although on my current Mercedes its controlled on the same lever. What I use differs from cruise control in that the driver controls the vehicle using the accelerator pedal but when you try to exceed the limit you've set it won't let you. You can "kick down" through it if you press the pedal really hard. Or you just move the lever to change the limit up or down 10 kph at a time.
> It means that in heavy traffic in complicated European cities I can devote all of my attention to the road - pedestrians, cycles, scooters, children, and so on - and not worry about exceeding the limit.


Ok, I see.

You can set a speed limit as @skygraff says, but it's a configuration item rather than a driving feature. So changing the limit would not be as simple as moving a lever. It's also a hard limit.


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## Deadhead (11 mo ago)

garsh said:


> Ok, I see.
> 
> You can set a speed limit as @skygraff says, but it's a configuration item rather than a driving feature. So changing the limit would not be as simple as moving a lever. It's also a hard limit.


Yes. Its not the same is it. My problem is that I have trained myself over the years to reset the limit every time I pass a sign and then not worry about speeding. Gonna have to re-educate my muscle memory I guess.


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## iChris93 (Feb 3, 2017)

garsh said:


> Just set "Regen" to "Standard".


Not a setting on newer Teslas.


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## JasonF (Oct 26, 2018)

There is a feature where you can have the Tesla chime at you when you exceed the posted speed limit.


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## Ed Woodrick (May 26, 2018)

I'm sorry, but totally confused. You set a limit for which lifting your foot slows you down? Isn't that called normal operation? 
I don't know why switching off regent does any good, regen slows you down faster. 

But Tesla adaptive cruise control is speed limit aware


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## Mr. Spacely (Feb 28, 2019)

I have my car set for 4 MPH over the posted limit while on FSD. Mr. Spacely sees speed limit signs and adjust accordingly...


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## skygraff (Jun 2, 2017)

While lobbying Tesla might get them to implement such a feature (OTA) for European markets, I would argue that, as the OP mentioned, it encourages bad muscle memory. Sure, focusing your attention outside might seem inherently safer, relying on settings to limit your speed rather than developing a good instrument scan habit (HUDs would be great, though!) and feel for your pedal and external visual cues means you are at a disadvantage when that setting fails or you change vehicles (new car, loaner, or rental).

That said, it would help a lot of people transitioning to EVs since the majority of auditory cues are eliminated; granted, those are vehicle/engine specific so there’s some adjustment time.


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## Deadhead (11 mo ago)

Ed Woodrick said:


> I'm sorry, but totally confused. You set a limit for which lifting your foot slows you down? Isn't that called normal operation?
> I don't know why switching off regent does any good, regen slows you down faster.
> 
> But Tesla adaptive cruise control is speed limit aware


OK. Maybe I didn't explain it properly. The driver chooses a maximum speed for the car. But, and this is the key point, at any speed less than the set max the driver is controlling the car using the accelerator pedal. So one can slow down for hazards, sharp bends, etc and then speed up again but never go over the set limit. And when the road limit changes one can change the limit in the car with a couple of lever presses. 
I'll have to try it but I'm not sure how comfortable I'll be with TACC in a busy urban environment or on a winding rural road with no white lines.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Deadhead said:


> OK. Maybe I didn't explain it properly. The driver chooses a maximum speed for the car. But, and this is the key point, at any speed less than the set max the driver is controlling the car using the accelerator pedal. So one can slow down for hazards, sharp bends, etc and then speed up again but never go over the set limit.


Ah, thanks for that explanation. Such a feature doesn't seem to exist at all in North America, thus our confusion.


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## SalisburySam (Jun 6, 2018)

Deadhead said:


> …I'm not sure how comfortable I'll be with TACC in a busy urban environment or on a winding rural road with no white lines.


Oh, I think you can be pretty certain you'll be very UNcomfortable in those conditions.


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## Ed Woodrick (May 26, 2018)

garsh said:


> Ah, thanks for that explanation. Such a feature doesn't seem to exist at all in North America, thus our confusion.


Isn't that just the speed limit mode, designed for limiting kids and other drivers?


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Ed Woodrick said:


> Isn't that just the speed limit mode, designed for limiting kids and other drivers?


As far as how it acts once configured, yes.

But Speed Limit Mode is designed to only be configured before driving, whereas the feature Deadhead is describing is designed to be activated & changed by the driver while driving.


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## Deadhead (11 mo ago)

garsh said:


> Ah, thanks for that explanation. Such a feature doesn't seem to exist at all in North America, thus our confusion.


Which is odd because the European spec Jeep Grand Cherokee which I bought in 2003 definitely had it. But given that the functionality is unknown to Americans its seems pretty unlikely that Tesla will spontaneously add it even though its probably just a software tweak.
However, for me all is not lost. The European Commission has announced that all new vehicles sold in Europe will be fitted with a speed limiter as a legal requirement from 6 July 2022. The 2019/2044 regulation also mandates all new cars that have already launched be fitted with an Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) by 7 July 2024.


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## JasonF (Oct 26, 2018)

Deadhead said:


> However, for me all is not lost. The European Commission has announced that all new vehicles sold in Europe will be fitted with a speed limiter as a legal requirement from 6 July 2022. The 2019/2044 regulation also mandates all new cars that have already launched be fitted with an Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) by 7 July 2024.


This could become one of those "be careful what you wish for" moments:

Technically Teslas do have a speed limiter, but they're limited to a static number and not the speed limit.

By the time you get more intelligent speed limiting, it won't be under the control of the driver anymore. It will be impossible to exceed the speed limit for any amount of time without modifying your car illegally first.


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## vjwebster (Dec 12, 2021)

Deadhead said:


> Test drove a 3 and a Y back to back on Saturday. It turns out the French government will chip in 6000€ to the cost of a standard 3. So although we marginally preferred the Y we couldn't resist the deal on the 3 and ordered one.
> But here's the thing, here in Europe roads are crowded and there are speed enforcement cameras everywhere. And every time you are caught you lose points on your driving license. Lose too many and you get a ban. So, for the past nearly 20 years every car I've owned has had a speed limiter - Jeeps, Renaults, Peugeots, Mercedes ... So I set a limit which means I can slow down by lifting my foot for rural bends, pedestrians, other hazards ... and when it's safe I can speed up again whilst not being in danger of breaking the law. And when the posted limit changes, with one touch I can change the limit in the car.
> I now find that Teslas don't do this.
> Should I cancel my order?


You can set for audible chimes to sound whenever you go over the speed limit, and even add a bit of fudge factor, either % or an actual number. If you ignore the chimes and don't slow down, then that's your choice


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