Volvo to impose 180km/h speed limit

Volvo has announced it will limit the top speed on all its cars to 180km/h from 2020, citing its Vision 2020 policy which aims for no one to be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by that time. At the same time, a group of MEPs want to equip all new cars with Intelligent Speed Assist.

Volvo claims research they have done has identified three concerns for safety that constitute gaps in its ambition to end serious injuries and fatalities in its cars with speeding a very prominent one. Intoxication and distraction are the other two.

“Volvo is a leader in safety: we always have been and we always will be,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. "Because of our research we know where the problem areas are when it comes to ending serious injuries and fatalities in our cars. And while a speed limitation is not a cure-all, it’s worth doing if we can even save one life.”

Geofencing

The carmaker is not limiting itself to capping the top speed as it is also investigating whether a combination of smart speed control and geofencing technology could automatically limit speed controls around schools and hospitals.

“We want to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even an obligation to install technology in cars that changes their driver´s behaviour, to tackle things like speeding, intoxication or distraction,” said Mr. Samuelsson. “We don’t have a firm answer to this question, but believe we should take leadership in the discussion and be a pioneer.”

European Parliament

Meanwhile, a group of Members of the European Parliament have introduced a proposal to equip all new cars with Intelligent Speed Assist by 2022. Based on GPS data, this technology would make it impossible for drivers to driver over the legal speed limit. Another variant would be for the system to allow speeding but to require more pressure to be put on the accelerator to go beyond the speed limit.

Image: Volvo S60