The EU tentatively backed a plan to fit every car from 2022 with a device that will automatically stop drivers breaking the speed limit

Alex Davies / Business Insider

• The EU has approved draft legislation requiring every new car built after 2022 to include software which slows drivers down when they speed.
• "Intelligent Speed Assistance" software uses a combination of GPS, sign recognition cameras, and maps to work out if a vehicle is going too fast.
• It will then automatically slow the car, but can be overridden by drivers.
• EU legislators agreed the proposal in principle on Monday evening, but further votes are required before it can become law.

The European Union has provisionally agreed to force every car built from 2022 to include software which slows drives down if they break the speed limit.

Every car, van, truck and bus should be fitted with a feature called "Intelligent Speed Assistance" designed to slow them down if they go too fast, EU leaders agreed on Monday.

The software uses a combination of GPS, sign recognition cameras, and advanced map software to pinpoint a vehicle's location, local speed limit. If the vehicle is going too fast, it will then automatically slow it down.

Drivers can override the software: pushing hard on the accelerator will bypass the feature and means drivers still have the option to ignore the speed limit.

The plans, set out by the European Commission in May 2018, were signed off by politicians from EU countries in the European Parliament and European Commission on Monday night.

The deal is provisional though, and still subject to formal votes in the European Parliament and is subject to approval by the EU's member states.

East Midland's Police

A police helicopter tracks a speeding vehicle in the East Midlands, UK.

Depending on the politics in Britain, the UK may have left the European Union by the time the legislation takes effect.

But the UK's Vehicle Certification Agency said it will mirror EU car safety standards for its vehicles, and likely adopt the proposals.

There are several other new safety features included in the EU proposal.

Read more: The EU is getting rid of daylight saving time, and now countries can choose to stay on 'permanent' summer or winter time

Vehicles will also have "Automated Emergency Braking" - which will detect pedestrians and cyclists, and brake accordingly.

The new law will also make it harder to drink drive.

Read more: The worst states in America to get a speeding ticket, ranked

The law makes it easier for vehicles to have an inbuilt alcohol breathalyzer, called an alcohol interlock device, which won't let the car start until the driver has blown into it.

Included in the proposed changes are new onboard "Electronic Data Recorders" which save car data in the moments before a crash. The EU hopes this will make it easier to work out why crashes occur.