Every Volvo to come with a 180kmph speed limit from now

Volvo is big on safety, it's sort of their USP. They’ve been the pioneers of many safety equipment we have as standard in our cars today, and the company has made a promise to have zero fatal traffic accidents in Volvo cars by the year 2020. Well, it is 2020 and Volvo is not playing around. The company will be limiting all Volvo cars to 180kmph, effective immediately. This is being done to reduce the risk of accidents while speeding on public roads.

The move has faced some backlash, even Volvo admits it was “controversial” but in its defence, there are very few public roads around the world where you can legally and safely cross 180kmph. The company believes that above a certain speed, the structure and safety systems of a car don’t play a part and often leads to fatal injuries, something which a top speed cap may be able to help with, to some extent. The company has also said that new Volvos will come with a Care Key that will allow you to set custom speed limits, lower than 180kmph, in case you’re lending your car to your children, a valet or a lead-footed friend.

“We believe that a car maker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety,” said Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “Our speed limiting technology, and the dialogue that it initiated, fits that thinking. The speed cap and Care Key help people reflect and realise that speeding is dangerous, while also providing extra peace of mind and supporting better driver behaviour.”

Volvo’s three main points for the fight against road accidents are speeding, intoxication and distraction. With the speed limit cap in place, that leaves the other two. The company “is taking action to address all three elements”, and will do so by adding more safety features in future cars. Volvo recently announced a tie-up with lidar specialist Luminar, who will be developing a roof mounted lidar system to enable autonomous driving in future Volvo models. This should further reduce the risk of accidents, but until every company is moving in the same direction, there is only so much your car can protect you from.