Overview
- Olivier François said he would "happily" cap Fiat’s 500, Panda and other city cars at about 73 mph as a potential alternative to extensive driver-assistance tech.
- He argues many EU-required safety features target higher-speed scenarios and claims they have pushed average city-car prices up by roughly 60% in recent years.
- The exploration dovetails with a proposed EU M1E category for small cars, which Fiat welcomes as a way to tailor safety rules to urban-focused models.
- Fiat already limits some models, including the electric Grande Panda at 82 mph, and other carmakers such as Volvo, Renault and Dacia have imposed voluntary top-speed caps.
- EU rules require intelligent speed assistance and other systems now, with more measures due from July 2026 that officials estimate could save over 25,000 lives and prevent 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.