Overview
- Olivier François said he would happily limit top speeds of smaller Fiats to 73 mph as an alternative to fitting costly safety hardware.
- He argues most mandated ADAS is designed for higher-speed use and has helped raise average city-car prices by about 60% over five to six years.
- EU rules continue to phase in intelligent speed assistance, lane keeping and automatic braking through 2026, with projections of over 25,000 lives saved and 140,000 serious injuries avoided by 2038.
- François welcomed a proposed M1E category for small cars, saying it acknowledges that uniform safety requirements do not suit every segment.
- Fiat is promoting its small EV lineup with an E-Grant of up to £4,040 off models such as the 500e and 600e, and its current city cars already do not exceed roughly 100 mph.