The European Union (EU) is currently waging war against the automotive industry. Several automotive manufacturers have asked the EU to move the 2035 ban on all combustion cars, which the European Parliament (EP) put to a vote. Instead of a 100% ban, groups lobbied for a 90% ban. Unfortunately, the EP rejected the amendment.

The EU is now honing in on the individual with new technology to keep a person from speeding. The EU officially adopted this mandate earlier this week.

Currently, the technology is referred to as Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) though manufacturers will likely put their own spin on what will probably be sold as a driver assistance feature. The mandate will come into effect in July 2024. All new vehicles sold after that date must be equipped with ISA.

According to the EU, speeding contributes to 30% of all fatal crashes, and it hopes this new technology will cut down on that figure.

This technology is not new, however. Various cars already come as standard with traffic sign recognition, and they'll give you a non-invasive, subtle warning when you go past the speed limit.

ISA is slightly different because of the requirements put in place by the EU. It wants the system to give the driver an auditory alert or a vibration on the steering wheel. If a car is equipped with the right features, the mandate even allows the car to override the driver and slow the vehicle down. Automakers have the choice of implementing either option or both.

Obviously, cars need to be equipped with forward-facing cameras for traffic sign recognition to work, but that's not enough. The regulations also call for accurate map data because speed signs may be damaged, in which case the car would not know whether it's speeding or not. This part of the legislation will likely cause an uproar because the vehicle needs to be connected to GPS. If it's connected, data can be recorded...

The inability to accurately read traffic signs is, for the moment, the motorist's saving grace. The EU allows for a manual override. You can beat it by pressing down harder on the accelerator or by disabling it altogether. Still, this is an uncomfortable development, knowing that the all-seeing eye in the sky is keeping an eye on your speedometer.

The EU was also uncommonly gracious earlier this week when it announced more breathing room for niche manufacturers like Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, Pagani, Bugatti, Ineos, Rimac, and Koenigsegg. Their deadline for lower emissions has been moved from 2029 to 2035.

But this latest development has us asking the question: why even bother? You can't deny that all manufacturers listed above make a living by producing cars that can easily break the speed limit in first gear.

Is it even worth owning a McLaren Artura if it's constantly monitored?