It looks like Renault may be the next in line to start limiting the top speed of its cars to 180 km/h and fit automatic speed control as standard, a new report suggests. This in an attempt to curb the rate of high-speed accidents.
As reported by Spiegel, the French manufacturer has expressed concerns over high speed accidents and believes that limiting its car’s top speeds will be a suitable solution. While speaking at the brand’s general meeting of shareholders last Friday, Renault boss Luca de Meo noted that a third of fatal car accidents are due to excessive speed. Because of this, the brand will cap the top speed of all its cars to 180 km/h, not unlike Volvo’s limit which was introduced last year. In South Africa’s current local line-up, there are only six derivatives that can crest this speed limit. It’s not yet clear whether this will also be implemented into Renault Sport products such as the Megane RS.
To double-down on safety, de Meo is also set on fitting all of its vehicles with an automatic speed control system which it calls the Safety Coach. This will adjust the speed according to the local speed limit while taking into account any possible dangerous curves, the weather or the driver’s attention.
This information follows de Meo’s desire to turn the Renault group into a CO2-neutral company ten years earlier than it initially suggested. By 2030, it is planned that 90 per cent of Renault’s cars will be electrified in some way. Europe projects this target to be reached by all manufacturers in 2040.
