All new Volvos to be limited at 112mph by 2020

Firm reveals plans to electronically limit the top speed of all its cars in bid to improve road safety

All new Volvos to be limited at 112mph by 2020
The car maker says current technology alone is no longer effective at preventing serious injury or death in the event of an accident.

Volvo is set to limit the speed for all its new cars from 2020 to 112mph as part of its vision, which aims for no one to be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020.

The vehicle manufacturer’s German rivals commonly set speed limiters of 155mph but it’s reported that Volvo feared its customer base would fall if the limiter was to be set at the national speed limit.

Volvo also has plans to introduce “smart speed control,” which restricts the car’s speed according to the road conditions, and a “geofencing” system, which automatically limits a driver’s speed around hospitals and schools.

Volvo’s chief executive, Hakan Samuelsson said: “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 such as speeding, intoxication or distraction.

“We don’t have a firm answer to this question, but believe we should take leadership in the discussion and be a pioneer.”

Mandatory speed limiters

New legislation is expected to be introduced by the European Union which could see mandatory speed limiters fitted to all new cars within the next three years.

Although the UK is expected to have left the European Union by the time such legislation is introduced, car manufacturers are unlikely to remove speed limiters in the UK.

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), the body which supports the introduction of ISAs, says the limiters would reduce collisions by 30 per cent, and save around 25,000 lives within 15 years.

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