Volvo Officially Limits Speed On Every Model to 112 mph (180 kph)

• Some not happy about Volvo top speed limiter

• Top speed limited to 112 mph (180 kph) on every new Volvo model

• New Care Key gives Volvo owners the ability to further restrict top speed

Volvo will officially limit the top speed of its models to 112 mph or 180 kph, the company announced this morning.

New Volvo models will also come with a new Care Key which gives Volvo owners the ability to limit the top speed even further when the car is lent to another driver.

Volvo’s intention to limit speed was met with some criticism when it was announced last year, but the Swedish automaker wants to send a strong message about the dangers of speeding.

“We believe that a car maker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety,” said 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 pointed out that driving above “a certain speed” reduces the effectiveness of driver assistance technologies and smart infrastructure. The company pointed to research showing that many drivers didn’t have a proper understanding of the dangers of speeding.

Volvo is aiming to reduce to 0 the number of serious injuries and fatalities involving its vehicles by this year. The new speed limit imposed on its vehicles is one more step towards that goal according to the automaker.

Performance division Polestar who builds the hybrid Polestar 1 coupe and Polestar 2 electric vehicle said in the past they wouldn’t restrict their vehicles like the rest of the Volvo lineup.

Aside from speeding, Volvo says intoxication and distraction are the two other most common causes of accidents. The company says it plans to address both in future vehicles.