Adam, our Head of Continuous Improvement, drives a BYD Seal Excellence as his company car. He didn’t think he had a speeding problem, until he noticed how easily the car’s acceleration carried him past the limit without meaning to.
“The car is genuinely more powerful than anything I’ve driven before, and I found I was regularly creeping over the speed limit without even realising it, especially when accelerating to join the motorway.”
He’d also assumed a speed limiter for cars was strictly a commercial vehicle thing:
“I always assumed speed limiters were something for commercial vehicles, like vans and lorries. I didn’t appreciate how useful they could be for private car owners or company car drivers until I had one myself.”
A lot of drivers assume the same thing, right up until they see what’s actually changed. A survey of 1,000 British motorists by Ooono found that 47% of EV owners struggle to control their speed, against 23% of drivers overall, mainly down to instant torque and near-silent acceleration removing the cues drivers normally rely on. Under the UK points system, that’s a real risk: 12 points within three years triggers a mandatory ban, and drivers in their first two years lose their licence outright at just six.
The Fix: The AutoKontrol Top Speed Limiter
We had an AutoKontrol top speed limiter fitted to Adam’s car. It’s a drive-by-wire system, which means it reduces engine power gradually as the vehicle reaches its set speed, rather than cutting out abruptly. It’s EU and UN type-approved, tamper-resistant so it can’t be switched off when it’s inconvenient, and comes with a 3-year hardware warranty. It suits any vehicle with electronic throttle control, petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric, and once it’s fitted there’s no ongoing subscription needed to keep it working.
For Adam, the result was straightforward:
“Having the limiter fitted has stopped that happening. It’s given me real peace of mind and protected me from the risk of points, fines, or worse, losing my license altogether.”
Why It’s Worth Fitting
Beyond the peace of mind, fleets running speed limiters typically see fuel savings in the region of 10 to 15%, along with insurance premium reductions of 5 to 15% where insurers recognise the fitted device. Installation takes two to three hours, is carried out by a qualified engineer, and comes with compliance documentation once complete.
Is this only for commercial vehicles?
No. Adam assumed the same before having one fitted to his own company car. Any powerful or electric car benefits, since the risk of unintentionally creeping over the limit applies to any fast-accelerating vehicle.
Can it be switched off?
No. The E650 is tamper-resistant and operates independently of driver input once the vehicle reaches its set speed.
Will it affect my insurance?
It depends on the insurer. Some recognise fitted speed limiters in their premiums; it’s worth checking directly once yours is installed.
The top speed limiter was the right fit for Adam’s car, but AutoKontrol’s range covers everything from single company cars to full commercial fleets. If a powerful car or an EV is making it easy to creep over the limit without noticing, our team can help you find the right speed limiter for your vehicle or fleet.
Explore AutoKontrol’s speed limiter range to get started.