It what could delay a potentially huge market for such companies as HERE Technologies and TomTom, California Gov. Gavin Newsome recently vetoed a bill that would have required new vehicles sold in the state to alert drivers when they exceeded the speed limit.   Had the legislation passed, it would have made California the first U.S. state to require Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) by 2030.

ISA, an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), uses GPS and other technology to assess a vehicle’s speed with mandated speed limits.  The system launches audio and visual warnings if the driver exceeds the limit by 10 mph.

Newsom argued that federal law issues vehicle safety standards and his state would be creating a patchwork of rules.  However, California has been trailblazer for setting its own vehicle standards, including requiring emissions standards and even a ban on gas-powered cars that automakers have followed.

Since July 2022, all new passenger and commercial vehicle types and models introduced in the European Union are required to be equipped with an ISA solution.  Both HERE Technologies and TomTom offer ISA mapping products to meet the requirement in Europe.

“California has a history of pioneering vehicle standards that influence the national agenda.  The hope was that this ISA bill would drive broader discussion and accelerate the debate and adoption of ISA technology across the United States. The benefits of ISA are clear: fewer serious crashes, more lives saved and enhanced overall road safety,” says Giovanni Giancaspro, TomTom senior manager, product marketing, in a blog post.

For its part, HERE Technologies has contracts with 33 passenger and commercial vehicle makers to use its ISA Map.  These contracts cover more than 70 brands, including Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, VinFast, IVECO, and Scania, the company said.