Volvo, a recognized leader in safety, has decided to limit the top speed on all its cars to 180 km/h as part of their Vision 2020 plan.
Volvo’s Vision 2020 is simple enough on paper: It aims for no one to be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020. One of the numerous steps that will be taken as part of their lofty plan and goals.
Limiting a car’s top speed is one of three remaining concerns identified by Volvo Cars that constitute “gaps” as referred to by Volvo. As technology alone won’t be enough to keep everyone safe on the road, limiting the physical capability of the car to reach big speed will help curb accidents. Studies and data from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that 25% of all traffic fatalities in the US in 2017 were the result of speeding.
On top of limiting speeds, Volvo is investigating on how they will combine smart speed controls and geofencing technology to automatically limit speeds in school zones and hospitals in the future.
We’re not against safety but there’s something about being watched, controlled and limited mixed in with the illusion of being in control after spending $60k or $100k on a Volvo that irks us. We love Volvo products but this feels intrusive and unnecessary in a car that will not be 100% or even 50% autonomous.
Are we alone in thinking that if Volvo wants to be like this and limit what we can do with our cars that we’ll just head on over to Audi? And that Volvo should cut T8 versions and dissociate with Polestar and their performance electric cars?
