The Care Key allows Volvo drivers to set limitations on the car’s top speed, before lending their car to other family members or to younger and inexperienced drivers such as teenagers that only just received their drivers’ licence.
The launch of the Care Key follows the announcement earlier this month that Volvo Cars will limit the top speed on all its cars to 180 kph from 2020, in order to send a strong signal about the dangers of speeding.
Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo Cars’ chief executive, said this month that the company wants to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even the obligation to install technology in cars that changes their owners’ behaviour. Now that such technology is available to use, this question becomes even more important.
The speed limit and the Care Key are both part of that initiative and illustrate how car makers can take active responsibility for striving to achieve zero traffic fatalities by supporting better driver behaviour.
“We believe that a car maker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety,” said Mr. Samuelsson. “Our recently announced speed limit fits that thinking and the Care Key is another example. Many want to be able to share their car with friends and family, but are unsure about how to make sure they are safe on the road. The Care Key provides one good solution and extra peace of mind.”
Beyond the potential safety benefits, features like a speed limit and the Care Key are also likely to offer Volvo drivers a financial benefit. The company is currently inviting insurance companies in several markets to conversations to offer special, favourable insurance to the Volvo community using these safety features.
Specific deals and terms will depend on local market circumstances, but Volvo Cars expects to announce the first of several agreements with national insurance firms soon.
“If we can encourage and support better behaviour with technology that helps drivers to stay out of trouble, that should logically also have a positive impact on insurance premiums,” said Mr. Samuelsson.
Care Key settings
How to Change the maximum speed of a Care Key via the centre display:
Unlock the car with the normal remote control key.
Tap on Settings in the centre display’s top view.
Press SystemDriver ProfilesCare Key.
Change the settings you want.
Volvo said that the key might be used in future schemes aimed at lowering insurance premiums. The automaker says that it’s “currently inviting” insurers in various markets to discuss the idea of promoting favourable rates for Volvo users with these keys, since it’s a baked-in way to improve safety for everyone on the road. “If we can encourage and support better behaviour with technology that helps drivers to stay out of trouble, that should logically also have a positive impact on insurance premiums,” said Håkan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo Cars, in a statement.
In addition to Care Key, Volvo has recently unveiled other measures aimed at making the roads safer. Starting with the same model-year-2021 vehicles that will receive the Care Key, Volvo will limit those vehicles to just 112 miles per hour. The company also trotted out an in-car camera system that can monitor for signs of distracted or intoxicated driving and, if necessary, stop the car on the roadside. It’s part of Volvo’s “Vision 2020” initiative, in which the automaker seeks to ensure nobody will be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo by 2020.
Please Note: The details of this article were accurate at the time it was written. Manufacturers may change the details of any vehicle’s specifications, at any time, without notice.
