The French automaker Renault has initiated a fresh road safety initiative that features a speed-limited version of their Clio city car specifically designed for novice drivers.
The so-called "safety car," designed exclusively for the French market initially, comes with an altered engine management system that caps the Clio’s top speed at 110 km/h.
After activation, the driver has the option to use either the cruise control or speed limiter functions, ensuring they do not surpass 110 kilometers per hour. As novice drivers accumulate more driving experience, this restriction can be adjusted later at an authorized Renault dealership.
Renault reports that drivers aged under 35 in France account for 52% of deadly crashes caused by speeding. These statistics pertain to trips on highways from 2019 through 2023.
Specialists highlight new research suggesting that teenagers' propensity for taking risks stems from differing levels of maturation between two key areas of the brain.
One the one side, we have the limbic system, responsible for generating emotions and rapidly becoming highly active post-puberty. On the contrary, there’s the prefrontal cortex, crucial for decision-making and restraining impulses, yet it matures much later. Experts cited by Renault stated this area goes through significant transformations up until around twenty years of age.
"Although we cannot alter the minds of young drivers, we can provide them with a car that reduces the hazards," stated Renault.