Words: AutoTrader NZ
Published 3 September 2020
New technology will be introduced this year that will allow NZ Volvo owners to control their vehicle’s maximum speed with their key, and will also prevent the cra from being driven in excess of 180km/h.
According to latest figures from the Ministry of Transport, excessive speed is a factor in 28% of fatal crashes in New Zealand[1] and NZ Police data shows more than $115million of fines were issued last year for mobile camera, static camera and officer-issued speeding infringements around the country – an increase of $4.7m on the previous year[2].
Coby Duggan Volvo NZ general manager says the carmaker is delivering on its promise to introduce this limitation technology to help close the ‘gap to zero’ in its quest to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities in traffic.
He says in addition to the speed cap, every Volvo car will also come with a Care Key, which allows Volvo drivers to set further limitations on the car’s top speed, for example before lending their car to other family members or to younger and inexperienced drivers.
“Speeding drivers make a significant contribution to the road toll in New Zealand.
“This technology will reinforce Volvo’s leadership in safety, raising awareness of the danger of excessive speed and ultimately helping to reduce the unnecessary fatalities and serious injuries that impact Kiwi families every year,” he says.
Duggan says the maximum speed limitation has proven to be controversial since it was announced, with some observers questioning the rights of carmakers to impose such constraints through available technology.
“Despite this controversy, Volvo Cars believes it has an obligation to continue its tradition of pioneering discussion around the rights and obligations of car makers to take action that can save lives,” he says.
Duggan says that as we bridge the gap between today’s increasingly advanced driver assistance systems and the autonomy of the future, Volvo’s view is that behaviours such as excessive speeding cannot be ignored.
He says while the Care Key will offer a tangible benefit to Volvo owners in New Zealand, the 180km/h speed cap will be less of a focus here than in Europe where speed limits of 130km/h are common and some stretches of road, such as sections of Germany’s autobahns, have no mandated maximum restrictions.
Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre says research shows that on average, people have a poor understanding of the dangers around speeding. As a result, many people often drive too fast and have poor speed adaptation in relation to the traffic situation.
“We believe that a car maker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety.
“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,” she says.
The speed limiting tech will be standard on all new Volvo cars sold in New Zealand with the first examples arriving in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Apart from speeding, intoxication and distraction are two other primary areas of concern for traffic safety and that constitute the remaining gaps towards Volvo Cars’ vision of a future with zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries. It is taking action to address all three elements of human behaviour in its safety work, with more features to be introduced in future cars.
For more information visit: https://www.volvocars.com/nz
