Czech Highway Speed Trial Extends 150 km/h Test as EU Plans Mandatory Speed Limiters

The Czech Republic has extended its pilot on the D3 motorway, a 47‑kilometre segment between Prague and the Austrian border, where drivers may travel up to 150 km/h under dry, clear conditions. The intelligent traffic‑management system automatically reduces the limit when visibility worsens or traffic congests. Installation of new electronic signage, weather stations, cameras and vehicle‑mounted sensors cost about €2 million. Early analysis shows drivers generally respect the dynamic limit, there has been no noticeable rise in accidents, and the higher speed could save roughly six minutes over a 160‑kilometre journey. The experiment now runs until the end of 2026 to collect further data on safety and traffic flow.

Separately, the European Union is preparing legislation that will require all new cars registered from 2024 to carry an Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) system, with a stricter version slated for 2030 that will automatically prevent exceeding posted limits. Czech transport experts caution that the technology is not yet reliable – a study cited a 25 % error rate in speed‑limit detection – and warn that forced intervention could be hazardous in emergency manoeuvres. „Čtečky rychlosti jsou nepřesné a nerespektují třeba česká pravidla,“ said Jan Markovič of Autosalon, underscoring concerns over the system’s readiness.