[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/volvo-to-reduce-the-top-speed-of-their-cars\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/volvo-to-reduce-the-top-speed-of-their-cars\/","headline":"Volvo To Reduce The Top Speed Of Their Cars","name":"Volvo To Reduce The Top Speed Of Their Cars","description":"Volvo are making cars even safer, by making them slower Toyota are known for making reliable cars, Mercedes are known for their luxury and Volvo are known for bringing new motoring safety innovations and producing the safest cars available. Now, the Swedish vehicle manufacturer is deciding to reduce the limited top speed of all of their new vehicles from 130 mph to 112 mph. That\u2019s a bold move, Volvo. This change has been announced to be taking effect next year […]","datePublished":"2019-03-06","dateModified":"2019-03-06","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Volvo-S60-R-Design-exterior-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Volvo-S60-R-Design-exterior-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/volvo-to-reduce-the-top-speed-of-their-cars\/","about":["Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS","Volvo"],"wordCount":701,"keywords":["volvo","Volvo news","Volvo S60","Volvo V60"],"articleBody":"Volvo are making cars even safer, by making them slowerToyota are known for making reliable cars,Mercedes are known for their luxury and Volvo are known for bringing newmotoring safety innovations and producing the safest cars available. Now, theSwedish vehicle manufacturer is deciding to reduce the limited top speed of allof their new vehicles from 130 mph to 112 mph. That\u2019s a bold move, Volvo. This change has been announced to be takingeffect next year (2020) and will be applied to all of their new cars from thatpoint onward. The drop in top speed marks a 13.8% reduction in top speed andVolvo President and CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, had this to say:\u201cWhile a speed limitation is not a cure-all, it\u2019s worth doing if we can even save one life\u201dA noble cause indeed and a bold statement tothe rest of the motoring industry. Could this influence other big carmanufacturers and encourage similar action? Volvo: The boss of safetyVolvo have been at the forefront of vehicle safety for decades. For example, in 1959 a Volvo engineer named Nils Bohlin invented a little old innovation which you may have heard of – the three-point seatbelt. Now found in virtually all cars around the world, this game-changing safety invention originated from Volvo. Another reason why the 3-point seatbelt became so widespread is because Volvo opened up the patent so that any vehicle manufacturer could adopt it. Rather than profiting off the invention, Volvo, with great nobility, gave their invention away to save lives.Volvo have been at the forefront of vehicle safety for decades. For example, in 1959 a Volvo engineer named Nils Bohlin invented a little old innovation which you may have heard of – the three-point seatbelt. Now found in virtually all cars around the world, this game-changing safety invention originated from Volvo. Another reason why the 3-point seatbelt became so widespread is because Volvo opened up the patent so that any vehicle manufacturer could adopt it. Rather than profiting off the invention, Volvo, with great nobility, gave their invention away to save lives.Other inventions to come from Volvo includeblind spot detection mirrors, automatic emergency braking, whiplash protectionseats and rear-facing child seats. With their rather esteemed history of beingthe leaders of car safety, this reduction in top speed is a message that willlikely be heard (and taken seriously) by other big manufacturers. From Ford toBMW to Nissan, big brands like this could take similar action in the comingyears.Volvo are incredibly focussed on road safetyand they\u2019ve made that very clear in their ambitious vision:\u201cOur vision is that by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car.”Why it\u2019s good and why it\u2019s badYou may think that if someone crashes theircar at 112 mph, they\u2019ll be in just as much danger as they would be if driving130 mph. Well, in most cases you\u2019d be right. However, even if that 18mphreduction in speed makes those types of crashes just 5% safer than before, thatcould equate to a matter of hundreds of lives saved over X amount of years. On the other hand, this move can easily spawn some criticisms. One being that most injury-inducing accidents happen at speeds below 60 mph and only a minority of accidents happen at high speed. Another problem with this is that the reduction in top speed could lead to consumers perceiving Volvo cars as slow. Could this hurt their reputation?Lastly, some drivers in certain countriescould actually feel the impacts of this reduction. For example, those that needto regularly drive on one of Germany\u2019s many autobahns (motorways without speedlimits) would probably no longer consider buying a Volvo. When travelling longdistances, an 18 mph reduction in speed can equate to valuable time lost. Andif you have to do that long drive each day, that extra time spent in the careach day will turn into hours lost each week. Some are calling it a silly publicity stunt and an exercise in futility, whereas others are praising the company for paving the way in car safety. Where do your opinions lie? "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Volvo To Reduce The Top Speed Of Their Cars","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/volvo-to-reduce-the-top-speed-of-their-cars\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]