- Obokhai Kess Asikhia 1* & Augustine Edet Ben 2
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, Edo State College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Iguoriakhi, Edo State, Nigeria
In Nigeria, over-speeding remains one of the
leading causes of road accidents, despite existing regulations mandating the
installation of speed limiting devices in commercial vehicles. The high cost and
limited availability of these devices have significantly hindered widespread
adoption. This study focuses on the development and performance evaluation of a
cost-effective and reliable Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based
speed monitoring and limiting device using the House of Quality (HoQ)
sustainability approach. The HoQ framework was employed to align user needs
with technical requirements by utilizing structured questionnaires to gather
insights from drivers regarding their preferences, experiences, and compliance
behaviour. Sound alerts, location tracking, and real-time
speed displays were among the most requested features and were integrated into
the system design. The device comprises a microcontroller (ATmega328P),
GNSS/GPS module, LCD screen, sound buzzer, relay switch, and power regulation
components. It operates by detecting vehicle speed via GNSS data, alerting the
driver through sound when the speed exceeds a preset limit, and controlling the
engine power using a relay switch to ensure compliance. Comparative testing was
conducted on 45 vehicles (tricycles, cars, and trucks) across Benin City and
Uyo, Nigeria. Speed readings from the developed device were compared against
both conventional speed detection devices and the actual speed readings from
vehicle dashboards. The results revealed negligible average errors of 0.91%,
0.43%, and 0.24% for tricycles, cars, and trucks, respectively, affirming the
accuracy of the device. Statistical analysis using Tukey pairwise, Fisher LSD,
and Dunnett multiple comparisons confirmed no significant differences (p >
0.05) between speed readings from the developed device, conventional devices,
and vehicle dashboards. Furthermore, compliance indices assessed at various
speed limits showed higher driver compliance at higher speed thresholds, with
86.67%, 66.67%, and 80% compliance rates at 100 km/h for tricycles, cars, and
trucks respectively. These results underscore the practicality and
effectiveness of the device in promoting speed compliance and enhancing road
safety. The system provides a promising, low-cost solution to speed regulation,
particularly suitable for adoption in developing countries like Nigeria where
affordability and simplicity are critical.
