For the last few years, all Volvo cars have had their top speed limited to 112mph. Over the last 12 months, more than 1,500 UK drivers have been caught going faster than this, showing that this type of vehicle limiting could be much more important than we realise.
The data, gathered from 32 police forces via Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, showed that more than four drivers a day were caught travelling above 112mph between September 2024 and August 2025. One of the worst recorded offences was a driver going 160mph in Cheshire.
In response to road safety concerns, Volvo introduced the 112mph electronic speed limiter on all its new models from the 2020 model year. The move was part of the brand’s “Vision Zero” strategy, which aims to achieve no one being seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo vehicle.
“At Volvo Cars, safety in and around your car is our number one priority. With a record number of licensed vehicles on the road in the UK – more than 42 million in 2025 – road safety has never been more important. The fact a UK driver is caught travelling in excess of 112mph every six hours, highlights the importance and relevance of our speed limiter technology. It is a feature we build in by design, and the findings of our research suggest it is the right approach to take.”
Nicole Melillo Shaw, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK
Top 10 Police Forces by Over-112mph Offences (Sep 2024 – Aug 2025)
| Rank | Police Force | Over 112mph Offences | Total Speeding Offences |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northamptonshire Police | 291 | 74,507 |
| 2 | Staffordshire Police | 196 | n/a |
| 3 | Merseyside Police | 117 | n/a |
| 4 | Warwickshire Police | 104 | 183,430 |
| 5 | Greater Manchester Police | 89 | 160,798 |
| 6 | South Yorkshire Police | 75 | n/a |
| 7 | West Midlands Police | 74 | 222,488 |
| 8 | Kent Police | 63 | 92,720 |
| 9 | Hertfordshire Constabulary | 60 | 89,746 |
| 10 | Nottinghamshire Police | 60 | 95,189 |
Volvo’s research shows the potential of built-in speed limiters to prevent dangerous driving behaviour.
There is obviously a bigger discussion to be had around speeding, but Volvo have taken a strong approach by physically limiting its cars’ top speed. Maybe it’s time for others to follow…
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