All new Volvos now come with a limited top speed of 180km/h and the ability to set additional speed limitations as part of a pledge by the carmaker last year.

Every new Volvo car now comes with a limited top speed of 180km/h

Although the carmaker has long placed focus on passive and active safety measures, it said last year that research had revealed that speeding was one of three so-called ‘gaps’ in its Vision 2020 initiative, which aimed for no one to be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020.

The new speed cap will help close the remaining gap to zero serious injuries and fatalities in traffic and will be accompanied on all new Volvos with a Care Key, which allows Volvo drivers to set additional limitations on the car’s top speed, for example before lending their car to other family members or to younger and inexperienced drivers.

The carmaker said both features illustrate how car makers can take active responsibility for striving to achieve zero traffic fatalities by supporting better driver behaviour.

“We believe that a car maker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety,” explained 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 also continued to counter those questioning the rights of carmakers to impose speed limitations through available technology, adding that it believes it has an obligation to continue its tradition of being a pioneer in the discussion around the rights and obligations of carmakers to take action that can ultimately save lives, even if this means losing potential customers.

Research shows that on average, people have poor understanding of the dangers around speeding. As a result, many people often drive too fast and have poor speed adaption in relation to the traffic situation.

As well as speeding, Volvo is also taking action on drink/drug driving distraction; the two other primary areas of concern for traffic safety and which constitute the remaining gap towards Volvo Cars’ vision of a future with zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries.