In a world where many carmakers are focused on making their vehicles faster than the next, Volvo is going in another direction. Volvo has recently decided to spotlight car safety even more by limiting the maximum speed of its vehicles to 112 mph.

How Volvo is prioritizing safety over speed

Last year, Volvo announced its plans to reduce the max speed in its newer vehicle to help reduce the number of car-related fatalities and serious injuries.  In general, Volvo has done a good job of getting consumers to associate safety with its brand. However, this initial announcement did attract some criticism, even though it’s not like Volvo is known for offering intense speed anyway.

The speed cap is actually part of Volvo’s master plan to eliminate serious car accidents. Traffic fatalities have only increased in the last few years, especially in SUVs and trucks.

Recently, the Governors Highway Safety Association reported that excessive speed contributed to the 35% increase in pedestrian fatalities from 2008 to 2017. In 2017, speeding was attributed to 26% of car-related deaths. 

While the government is working on additional initiatives to limit car-related deaths, Volvo believes that they can also play a bigger role in protecting drivers. 

“We believe that a carmaker 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 realize that speeding is dangerous, while also providing extra peace of mind and supporting better driver behavior.”

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Volvo doesn’t care if they lose customers over this 

Volvo is extremely committed to taking action and maintaining its reputation of being a “pioneer” when it comes to car safety. So much so that the company doesn’t care if that means they miss out on new customers. The Swedish carmaker feels obligated to do all possible to minimize serious vehicle accidents.

Even with the laws against speeding in the U.S. as well as in Europe, drivers continue to get millions of speeding tickets each year. Speeding-related accidents also continue to rise.

Another considerable point Volvo made with its recent safety announcement is that excessive speed contradicts advanced in-car safety and driver-assist features. At extremely high speeds, advanced safety features can’t do much to help prevent accidents that lead to serious crashes. 

What to expect from Volvo moving forward

In Volvo’s Vision for 2020, the carmaker shared that its ultimate goal is to reduce the number of serious injuries and fatalities linked to its vehicles all the way down to zero. Its a bold initiative and the carmaker is sticking to it. 

Volvo believes that knowledge and technology are the keys to achieving their safety goals. The carmaker has been doing extensive research and crash-test simulations to learn about additional ways to save more lives. Its 112 mph speed limit cap will officially be implemented in Volvo’s 2021 lineup. Volvo’s Polestar brand will not have the same restriction.