Volvo Cars has announced that all of its new models now come with a limited top speed of 180 km/h, acknowledging this could mean “losing potential customers”.

The Swedish firm made the announcement after first signalling its intention to send a “strong signal about the dangers of speeding” back in March 2019.

In addition, Volvo says every one of its new vehicles will come with a “Care Key”, which allows the owner to set “additional limitations on the car’s top speed, for example before lending their car to other family members or to younger and inexperienced drivers”.

“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 admits the top speed limit has proven “controversial” since it was announced in 2019, with some observers “questioning the rights” of automakers to impose such limitations.

The Swedish brand's response? It believes it has an “obligation to continue its tradition of being a pioneer in the discussion around the rights and obligations” of automakers to “take action that can ultimately save lives, even if this means losing potential customers”.

Original article from Car