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While Volvo, whose XC90 flagship SUV currently has a top speed
of 212 km/h, has made progress on its so-called "Vision 2020"
target of zero deaths or serious injuries, Chief Executive Hakan
Samuelsson said it is unlikely to meet the goal without
additional measures to address driver behavior.
"We've realized that to close the gap we have to focus more on
the human factors," Samuelsson told Reuters. Volvo did not
elaborate on the data but said its passenger fatalities were
already well below the industry average before the goal was
announced in 2007.
In addition to the speed cap, Volvo plans to deploy technology
using cameras that monitor the driver's state and attentiveness
to prevent people driving while distracted or intoxicated, two
other big factors in accidents, Samuelsson said.
The company is also looking at lower geo-fenced speed limits to
slow cars around sensitive pedestrian areas such as schools,
while seeking to "start a conversation" among automakers and
regulators about how technology can be used to improve safety.
Volvo, which is owned by China's Geely, announced the new speed
limitation policy on the eve of the Geneva auto show, where its
new Polestar performance electric-car brand is showcasing its
second model, the Polestar 2.
While Volvo buyers often choose the brand for its safety,
Samuelsson conceded that the speed cap could be a turn-off for a
few in markets such as Germany, where drivers routinely travel
at 200 km/h or more on unrestricted autobahns.
"We cannot please everybody, but we think we will attract new
customers," the CEO said, recalling that the roll-out of
three-point seat belts pioneered by Volvo in 1959 had initially
been criticized by some as intrusive.
"I think Volvo customers in Germany will appreciate that we're
doing something about safety," he said.
(Reporting by Laurence Frost; additional reporting by Esha Vaish
in Stockholm; editing by Jason Neely)
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