It is already in effect: new Volvo models leave the factory with their top speed limited to 180 km/h

The promise that Volvo made just over a year ago, when announced that it would limit the top speed of its new vehicles to 180 km/h from the factory starting in 2020, has not fallen on deaf ears.

Here we tell you the details about this speed limit, and some considerations about the “gentlemen’s agreement” that led German manufacturers many years ago to set a voluntary limit of 250 km/h (except in special vehicles, such as high-end sports cars), which still remains in effect today.

The fact is that, from now on, if you buy a Volvo, its top speed will be limited to 180 km/h as standard. And for the moment the brand has not revealed whether this limitation can be removed optionally or on request, not even in its most powerful models.

Limiting speed to guarantee the operation of safety systems

Since Volvo announced its intention to limit the speed of its new cars, the measure has caused considerable controversy. Some question whether manufacturers have the right to impose restrictions of this kind on their customers using technology.

Volvo champions its firm commitment to safety, arguing that speeding “above a certain threshold” does not allow the effectiveness of today’s vehicle safety systems to be assured. What we do not know is how they determined this threshold. At Volvo they state that drivers are not aware of the dangers of speed at the wheel, and that many people do not adapt their speed to traffic conditions. The problem is that this will continue to happen even with the limit set at 180 km/h.

For now, Volvo has already taken a step that other manufacturers seem likely to follow, at least in the short term. The Swedish brand also says it is working on two other determining factors in safety, such as distractions and consumption of alcohol and drugs, and that in the future its new cars will have technologies to combat these issues.

Volvo Care Key as standard: setting your own limit

The speed limitation brings another decision at Volvo: integrating Care Key as standard on all its models.

It is a function that allows the vehicle owner to set maximum speed limits for other drivers, for example, for a family member who has just obtained their driving licence.

At Volvo they are working so that these new measures, especially the Care Key function, allow users who use these safety features to benefit from advantageous conditions on their insurance policy. Although it is not easy for insurance companies to view positively the new safety systems that manufacturers fit to their vehicles, at least in terms of a lower premium.

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