Could this be a sign of things to come? Motorists in Belgium have been banned from using cruise control on certain sections of the country's road network.

Signs such as the one pictured (image) appeared on motorways leading to Antwerp, plus the Ghent-Brussels highway, where there's been a spate of rear-end collisions in heavy traffic. Investigators have linked these accidents to the use of cruise control - hence the rule change.

But could it ever happen in the UK? Plenty of modern cars - particularly executive models - feature cruise control, and the technology is filtering down to volume vehicles. Andrew Howard, head of road safety at the AA Motoring Trust, said: "The UK authorities will be interested in this, and a study to find out if cruise control is to blame for some of the accidents on our roads could follow."

Howard added that if research concluded cruise control was to blame, the Government may consider introducing a similar ban. "It would be very difficult for the police to enforce, though," he warned. The AA man believes that many motorists in this country use the driving aid to protect themselves against speeding fines - by ensuring they stay within the limit - as well as for comfort.

"The trouble is they usually set it to the maximum permitted speed," he explained. "But if the road is busy, this may not be safe. Some drivers will try to brake later than normal as touching the centre pedal deactivates the system."

In Belgium, some restrictions apply only to vehicles above a certain weight. Motorists face fines of up to £1,000 if they are caught ignoring the ban. However, the new law makes no distinction between simple cruise control and more advanced 'active' systems, which use front bumper-mounted radar to maintain a safe distance to the car in front.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Cruise control restrictions are not something we are considering at the moment for the UK."