Frequently Asked Questions about Sturdy Road Speed Limiter 

  1. What is a road speed limiter (RSL)?

    2. The road speed limiter (RSL) is a device that is installed in a vehicle to limit the speed of the vehicle to a pre-set speed. For example, if a vehicle has an RSL installed and the speed is set at 60 km/h, then regardless of how the driver accelerates on that vehicle, its maximum speed would be 60 km/h.

  2. How does the Sturdy RSL work?

    3. Sturdy RSL is an electro-mechanical speed-limiting device. The whole unit comprises of three components. They are the electronic control unit (ECU), the actuator and the linkage.

    The ECU monitors the speed of the vehicle. When the speed of the vehicle reaches the pre-set speed, an electrical signal is sent from the ECU to the actuator. There, a small electric motor retracts the linkage cable. This linkage cable in turn will reduce the throttle in the fuel pump. By controlling the fuel pump, the speed of the vehicle is reduced to the set speed.

  3. What is the set speed approved by the Singapore Traffic Police?

    4. The approved set speed in Singapore is 60 km/hr.

  4. What categories of vehicles in Singapore are required by law to have road speed limiters (RSL) installed?

    5. The following heavy-duty vehicles are required by law to have the RSL installed:

    - Buses with a maximum laden weight of more than 10,000 kg.

    - Every other motor vehicle with a maximum laden weight of more than 12,000 kg.

  5. When must I install the RSL on my affected vehicles?

    6. The Traffic Police has implemented a two-phase programme for the installation of RSL for the affected vehicles.

    Under phase 1, all affected vehicles registered after 1st May 1990 must be installed with a road speed limiter (RSL) by 1st January 2000.

    Under phase 2, all affected vehicles registered between 1st January 1982 and 30th April 1990 must be installed with a road speed limiter (RSL) by 1st May 2000.

  6. What are the penalties for non-compliance to the new traffic law?

    7. The penalty for non-compliance to the new traffic law is a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months and, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment to a term not exceeding six months.

  7. Will the installation of the RSL interfere with the vehicle engine working mechanism?

    8. No. Unlike some other types of RSL that limit the fuel flow in the fuel line, the Sturdy RSL does not interfere with vehicle engine working mechanism. The Sturdy RSL is an add-on device that assists the driver in maintaining the pre-set speed of the vehicle. It works by extending and contracting the engine throttle linkage to maintain the pre-set speed. When the driver steps on the acceleration pedal and the speed of the vehicle exceeds the pre-set speed by about 2 km/hr, the actuator will extend itself to reduce the engine speed and thus maintain the vehicle speed to the pre-set speed.

    For those RSL that work by limiting the fuel flow, most vehicle manufacturers deem this as an infringement on their design and as such void any warranty applicable.

  8. Can the Sturdy RSL be installed easily?

    9. Yes, Sturdy RSL is the only road speed limiter that houses all its three components into one. The ECU, the actuator as well as the linkage are all built into one single unit. This is different from the rest of the competition. For them, to mount their system, it would mean mounting three individual components in three separate locations. This would also mean having to drill more holes to fasten them.

  9. Does this mean that the Sturdy RSL require drilling fewer holes on my vehicle?

    10. Yes. In fact, in most cases, we do not need to drill any holes at all! By the use of a universal bracket, we can make do with existing holes in the vehicle chassis to fasten our RSL.

  10. Would the driver of the vehicle that is fitted with a RSL experience engine hunting when driving at the pre-set speed?

    11. No, not with Sturdy RSL. This might be so with other type of RSL but the Sturdy RSL eliminates engine hunting by matching the engine power with the system installed. Engine hunting is very evident when driving a truck with a powerful engine at no load. An example of this would be the truck tractor (prime mover) with no load.

    However, by use of faster response time at the ECU and the correct spring tension at the actuator, the Sturdy RSL eliminates engine hunting. Sturdy has an adjustable ECU that allows the use of different response times for different categories of vehicles.

    Controlled Speed Uncontrolled Speed
  11. Is Sturdy RSL reliable?

    12. Yes. Sturdy Corporation, the manufacturer of Sturdy RSL, is a USA company and has been producing speed limiters for 20 years. To date, there are more than 500,000 vehicles in the world fitted with the Sturdy road speed limiters.

  12. Is the Sturdy RSL approved in Singapore?

    13. Yes, the Sturdy RSL is approved for use by the Traffic Police in Singapore. In addition, the Sturdy RSL is also approved in UK in compliance with British Standard BS AU 217: Part 1a:1989 and BS AU 217: Part 2: 1989 as well as in Europe under European Standard 92-24 E11 000007.

  13. Does it pay to buy the RSL from a reliable company?

    14. Yes. Companies approved by the Traffic Police for the installation of RSL is supposed to provide services and carry stock of spare parts for 10 years after the date of the last installation. Purchase of such RSL from companies set up just to cash in on the sale of such limiters carries the risk of such companies being unable to fulfill the ten years' liability.

    In addition, many sellers of such speed limiters do not have their own workshop facilities and rely on others to provide the installation service. Under such circumstances, when a vehicle owner wants to change the tyre size of his vehicles and need to re-calibrate his RSL, he might encounter problems getting the service from the supplier.

  14. In this case, is the supplier of Sturdy RSL in Singapore reliable?

Yes, Syntech Engineers Pte Ltd, the supplier of Sturdy RSL in Singapore,  has been established since 1986 as an automotive equipment and accessories specialists.

We have our own factory in Jurong at 8 Link Road, Singapore. Our factory has a land area of 59,000 sq. ft and a built-up area of 38,000 sq. ft.