Congestion charging: Here's 'In-car Ken' to tell you when to pay

NEWS From Monday, any driver coming in to central London will have to pay Mayor Ken Livingstone's controversial congestion charge. A large 'C' on the road marks the boundary of the congestion charge zone but if that's not enough for you, how about having a gadget in your car which lets you know when you're approaching the affected area... in 'Red Ken's' voice? UK handheld computing company Kane has launched a product called Speed Minder, which offers drivers verbal congestion charge alerts and navigation tips on avoiding the zone (should you so wish) in a variety of simulated voices, including the distinctive tones of Mr Livingstone. The product also provides information about speed trap locations. But this isn’t about ripping off Transport for London or promoting speeding, of course. Robert Fedder, Kane MD, said: "Motorists in Britain are feeling hard done by. Police authorities are being given permission to plough revenue from speeding fines back into further speed camera installations, a measure that will double the amount of cameras from the current 22,000 stations during this calendar year. Over one million people were fined through speed cameras last year; that's going to rocket now." According to a government report released this week, deaths and serious injuries have fallen 35 per cent on roads where speed cameras have been in operation. Fedder added: "It's time drivers stopped slamming on their brakes whenever they see a camera and start to use aids to drive responsibly. The imminent congestion zone charging in London is likely to be swiftly replicated across most other major cities, and represents another way that the uninformed yet normally careful driver might be punished." The Speed Minder product works with any version of Kane Car Pilot, and comes as part of Kane's Speed Minder and Car Office Pack, which has a suggested retail price of £149 (inc VAT). We'll be bringing you more IT-related congestion charging stories. Send any comments or information about the controversial scheme to editorial@silicon.com.