New technology, known as a SpeedFox device, which is fitted into a vehicle to limit its speed, has been hailed as a solution to the road carnage in the country.

A report in The Mercury notes that SpeedFox inventor Geo Intelligence Corp (GeoInt) said the technology was designed to reduce speeding, accidents and mortality on the roads.

The technology, with its offline embedded map element, ensures the vehicle cannot exceed the legally posted speed limits.

Funded by the Technology Innovation Agency – an entity of the Department of Science & Innovation – SpeedFox has been piloted and commercially implemented with several South African companies that own large commercial fleets.

The agency said the initial funding would be used to further refine the development of the device by improving its accuracy and conducting market validation to achieve market fit.

SpeedFox allows fleet operators to set speed limits for specific road types such as gravel roads or steep gradient roads, to ensure their vehicles are operating within set margins in compliance with traffic regulations.

The device also saved significant costs across the fleets through the reduction of accident damage and downtime, and up to 5% reduction in fuel consumption and the elimination of speeding fines.

Full report in The Mercury (subscription needed)