Volvo, you might have read, is going to limit the top speed of all the cars it sells from 2021 onwards to 112mph (180km/h).
On the face of it this appears to be little more than a PR stunt to garner goodwill and head-nodding approval from legislators and the public at large. The company says it has made the move as part of its goal that no one should be killed or injured in a Volvo by 2020.
But how many road accidents actually happen at or above 112mph? Gary Baldwin, a forensic collision investigator with the Thames Valley Police, reckons the self-imposed top speed limit’s impact on road deaths will be negligible. “It’s an irrelevance,” he said. “I genuinely think it will have no effect whatsoever.”
There might be more to this than meets the eye, however. Last May the European Commission published a list of 12 new safety features it – or rather the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), the EU’s go-to advisory body on road safety – wants mandated on new cars from 2021, including among them Intelligent speed assistance (ISA).
These things take time to implement, though, and it was only towards the end of last month that a committee of MEPs voted to approve that list – and there’s still more legislative wrangling to go before it’s all finalised.
Join the debate
DW04
Still think this whole idea
Still think this whole idea of Volvos is a total sham.... a slower future?????/ WHY??
volvo will regret they ever made this decision in later years.....
total madness!!?!?!?!!?!?
scrap
Folk said Volvo would regret
Folk said Volvo would regret their decision to not go above four cylinder engines too, but I don’t think they do.
What is interesting is how this might affect dynamics. Having tyres that no longer need to be rated at 155mph might improve ride comfort, for example.
eseaton
Volvo might not regret having
DVB78
A Slower future
only in Germany maybe!
where else can you reasonably go above 110mph, apart from a track?
Dont really see what the fuss is about - most German cars are now restricted to 155mph
Will86
Hmmm
Volvo's annoucement is nothing more than a PR stunt, but ISA is an interesting idea. I can see the logic behind this - the roads are getting busier and not everyone can be trusted to play by the rules. Why should one person's decision to speed impact on another innocent party?
However technology is not perfect - if your car thinks the limit is still 30 as it has missed the derestricted sign, your going to get pretty frustrated with it, as are those behind you. And Councils will have to do more to keep speed limit signs visible which in rural areas will be challenge especially in the summer. Plus, it is taking away the discretion of the driver to adapt to road conditions.
As for a slower future - we're already there. Speed limits are being reduced in numerous areas but I can't recall the last time one was increased.
Peter Cavellini
Top speed....irrelevant...?
Yes, has been for years, a marketing Tool?yep, that to, the ego trip?, yep, if your journey is managed as in the Car does the driving,surely that’s a good thing?, would also defeat the can’t go fast enough brigade, the pass in stupid places drivers for instance, plus, if we all drove sensible there’d be less accidents...
Peter Cavellini.
van_diesel
volvo forces speed limit on customers
solution.... dont buy a volvo... all manufacturers learn from this tactic.
Neo32
What good will this really do?
In the EU, there were 790,000 early deaths due to air pollution. According to the EU - 40% of NO2 and pm2.5 emmisions come from transport.
Therefore if Volvo want no one to die from one of their cars, they should only sell electric cars into markets with zero emmision electricity.
Mikey C
I doubt Polestar will do the
I doubt Polestar will do the same! If you have your performance versions under a different brand, you can have your cake and eat it...
BiggaJ
About time, if you dirve the
About time, if you dirve the miles I do I doubt anyone can drive even at a steady 70 on motorways these days. ttraffic calming measures will only get more intrusive to speed. Already large chunks of the most of the motorways I drive are limited to 50 with the introduction of the 'smart' motorway and these will just continue as far as I can see.
A and B road driving again is often difficult to get up to a decent speed also.
I personally feel Volvo are the first of many and as others have said, not having to have tyres rated at higher speeds than this should result in better riding cars.
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