It’s recently been announced that, come next year, Volvo will be implementing a speed-limiter on all of its cars. What top speed will it be limited its cars to? Just 112 mph (180 km/h). That’s an extremely low speed limiter. If I remember correctly, my brother’s old Chevy Cavalier years ago have a speed limiter higher than that. Most premium cars and sports cars have been limited to around 155 mph or so for the past few decades. So why is Volvo returning to the 1990’s for its top speed? Safety. And it has a lot of the enthusiast world very upset.
The Swede’s have an interesting point, though. Volvo safety expert Jan Ivarsson said “As humans, we all understand the dangers with snakes, spiders and heights. With speeds, not so much”. Which is an good point. Personally, I’m terrified of heights and don’t even like looking over balconies. Yet I have no problem going 150 mph on a track, which is far more likely to kill me than the balcony. So maybe someone like myself needs an electronic hand keeping me in check a bit.
“People often drive too fast in a given traffic situation and have poor speed adaption in relation to that traffic situation and their own capabilities as a driver. We need to support better behavior and help people realize and understand that speeding is dangerous.” added Ivarsson. If Volvo is truly doing this in the name of safety, I think it’s a good idea.
If any brand can be trusted to truly limit a car’s speed in the name of safety, though, it’s Volvo. The Swedish brand has been obsessed with safety for decades, consistently having the safest cars on the road each and every year and constantly developing new safety innovations. However, the question now is, will other automakers join in?
German brands just might, actually. Germany has already teased the idea of adding speed limited to the unrestricted areas of the Autobahn. Admittedly, that’s more for emissions than safety but why can’t it be both? If Germany adds speeds limits to the Autobahn, the current 155 mph speed limit “Gentleman’s Agreement” between the German automakers could get a drastic reduction. If there’s nowhere in Germany to legally exceed, say, 112 mph, why allow the cars to do so at all?
Before anyone gets their briefs all in a bunch, it’s not as bad as it sounds. There’s been word of geo-fencing the cars and their speed limiters. For instance, if the car enters a residential or school zone, the car’s speed limit might reduce down to 25 mph, or whatever it might need to be. And then if the car gets on an unrestricted highway or race track, the speed limiter would then be removed for that time. So you’d be able to go fast when you need to and not able to when you don’t. So what’s the big deal?
Well, there is a question of one’s own personal freedom and Big Brother watching over your speed at all times. But if it’s just limiting the car from extreme speed, speeds well above posted limits, I don’t see a problem with it. However, if it starts capping a car’s speed more than that, it might get a bit unnerving.
So as it stands now, I don’t know if there’s as much of an issue with this Volvo speed limit as some enthusiasts are making it out to be. Though, there must be caution with how far it’s taken. What say you, BMW fans? What if BMW were to implement such restrictions?
volvoblog.com ?
Meaning?
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Again…meaning?
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No ads break anything. You’re just trolling, so gave you a chance to properly comment, but I guess you’re here for the show.
And please post under one name, not multiple ones.
Fix your code so that the ads don’t break Disqus.
I am in Florida right now and even here it’s easy to go 120mph… I would never buy a car like that, but Volvo drivers are different/slow anyway. And as a Brand they basically have no other USP, safety is their everything. And also, speed has nothing really to do with accidents, actually in Germany are much more road deaths in the city or on country roads, than on the unlimited Autobahn which is a prove that it makes no sense to set any speed limits.
You are wrong and have no clue what you’re talking about.
Speed kills.
The only reason the autobahn is safe is because it’s designed, built and maintained at great expense for speed. The cars allowed on it are strictly maintained to be in good condition. The drivers driving them have to go through a thorough and expensive licensing.
Only someone without the slightest hint of a clue would make demands about abolishing speed limits everywhere
Expensive thorough licensing ? Anyone with 30 hours behind the wheel and driving license can go there. Just because you passed your test does not mean you can drive fast…
Oh yeah, you’re a Floridian…now it all makes sense.
Slow volvo drivers? I often take my 1996 volvo 850 t5 (+- 300 bhp) for a drive in germany at speeds in exces of 200 km/h. It’s not the brand, it’s how you drive it. And yes, you just have to use common sense and don’t drive like a idiot in the restricted zones. Germans can drive… and they follow the rules. and also the autobahn are indeed made for high speeds. (Btw, i’m not German)
I have gone beyond 200km/h a few times so I do go crazy sometimes. Do I have a problem with Volvo taking this route? Not at all, as long as BMW and other favourites of mine don’t go there.
Let us have a choice.
A lot of the non AMG MB are limited to 131 mph in the USA market so MB can put mediocre All Season tires on them.
If Volvo try this nonsense,I will never ever buy a Volvo again.Rather,they should create a button where one can activate it or off it.Anything other than that,good bye Volvo.
Non-issue.
Don’t think Volvo buyers would mind much. They’re a very particular bunch who go for a particular car product and have a particular way they drive it. Just hope smarter manufacturers do not follow Volvo on this though.
A Volvo limited to 180kmh doesn’t seem like a problem, and it allows Volvo to do more with their technology smarts.
An X3/X4 limited to 180kmh also wouldn’t be an issue, but I would think a 550i/750i/760i/M850i style car should retain the 250kmh limit they have now.
Force the owner to prove he has the skills to go beyond the default limit to have it lifted.
So stupid, speed is not at all an issue on swedish roads.They should however limit the retard cars that do cause all the issues: the SUVs, Priuses and Porsches etc. But better just have their car auto turn off and park on the side of the road when normal driverd appear. When the Prius driver who never blinks, panic breaks before he enters an empty roundabout etc hits the gas pedal he will crash regardless if he is doing 130 or 180 km/h.
As a wise man once said
“Speed has never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary, that’s what gets you.”
If BMW were to try this 112 mph speed limiter non-sense, then my current BMW will also be my last BMW. Leave the speed limiter at 155 mph, where it is right now.