All new Volvos are limited to 112mph

As of today, all new Volvos are limited to 112mph. The change comes a year after the initial plans were set out by the Swedish manufacturer.

It’s a choice that has received it’s fair share of criticism since it was first announced with some questioning “the rights of car makers to impose such limitations through available technology”. However, Volvo have stood firm and gone ahead with the move with the health and safety of the public in mind. Volvo considering health and safety – who would have thought it?

It’s a well-known fact that speeding is one of the main reasons for fatalities on our roads. This is why Volvo have, as usual, decided to “take active responsibility for striving to achieve zero traffic fatalities by supporting better driver behaviour”.

As well as being limited to 112mph, all new Volvo cars will come with a Care Key. This allows the owner to add additional restrictions if they wish to do so. This could come in handy when allowing a younger, less experienced driver to use the car, for example.

“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”, states Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

Whilst a little part of me kind of understands people’s complaints, the rest of me understands Volvo’s choice. Realistically, how often are you going to be topping 112mph in a Volvo?

In most places, you’d be breaking the law and you’re not exactly going to be using your XC90 for a track day at Silverstone. If you’re absolutely set on continuing to exceed 112mph, you’ll have to buy a Polestar – they’re not affected by the change.

What are your thoughts on the new policy? Let us know in the comments section below or via our Facebook and Twitter pages.