Top Speed

[titleguy1]

First off, yes, I did use the search box. If I didn't find my suggestion, well, I obviously missed it.

I think that we should be able to electronically limit the top speed of the cars with the/an ECU. Maybe you're like me, and you want your car to have long gearing, but you don't want it to drive up to 200+ MPH.
So, maybe you have the transmission itself limited to a certain gear ratio, but then then electronic limiter, well, limits the top speed.
Just a suggestion.

[Daffyflyer]

What would be the gameplay effect of doing that? (as in what stats would it allow you to change in a meaningful way?)

[VosNox]

The gearbox already lets you decide the top speed.

[Slim Jim]

@vosnox = The OP is asking if it would be possible to limit the top speed without adjusting the top speed slider. For instance, even though the BMW M5 is capable of 190+mph, (and probably geared to 210+), it's electronically-limited to 155-160mph.

@Daffyflyer = At present, none. It would just kill prestige for no reason. However, if top speed was inversely tied to reliability, you could *kinda* make a case for it. For instance, if we build a car, cheaply, that's capable of 200mph it's more likely to break. Adding a limiter would cost you prestige, but add back some reliability points.

Example: My Lincoln I'm sure was capable of at least 150mph de-restricted. However, the stock driveshaft would've exploded in short order. So by being limited to 130, Lincoln "added" some reliability points at the cost of some prestige.

@titleguy1 = Nice idea, but the way the game is currently set up, it doesn't make sense to have a feature like this, IMO.

[bundyaxl]

My questions is what is the reasoning for this in real life and my guess is that it has something to do with insurance or regulations.

If a feature like this is put in the game then it would be tied to regulations.
Maybe one country has no speed limit but another country has a max then it would be easier to modify it to that region. With that said this would not be really necessary if there are no extra engineering costs to limit the speed at the transmission. In the real world it would most likely cost more to produce a separate transmission with different gearing ratios. I don't know much about transmission manufacturing, I'm sure it doesn't cost as much as making a whole new unit.

I'm hoping regulations are already being put in the game, such as emissions and/or higher taxes for displacement like in Europe.

[Slim Jim]

The main reasons for speed limiters:

1. Local law (Japan, I think is 180kph)
2. Tires - cars are often designed to go faster than tires will allow, hence the speed limiter
3. Reliability - some cars are designed with, ummm... "cheaper" parts that aren't capable of withstanding the speeds the car's power-to-drag ratio would allow.
4. "Gentleman's agreement" - european cars with 155mph limiters

[Daffyflyer]

I'm hoping regulations are already being put in the game, such as emissions and/or higher taxes for displacement like in Europe.

Yes, I think we will be doing that. Those are interesting ones as they require major design choices, like designing a new smaller displacement engine for the Italian market, or detuning for emissions in the US market etc.


A speed limiter is not interesting, as the result would be "Hey, I need a speed limiter for this market. *ticks speed limiter box*, Done.."

[VosNox]

You could just make it an automatic feature, based on local laws and regs. Trying to sell your new super car to the US and it would say "To sell this vehicle in this market, you must installed an electronic limiter, do you want to?

[UltimateBMWfan]

But what would happen if you said no? Then would you not be able to sell the car then? IMO, not enough to warrant inclusion for gameplay. If you clicked yes, there's nothing really to show that you've limited your top speed (In terms of specs) other than one value (Speed).

[maffc]

The only gameplay aspect I could see, and it's so slim as to be worthless, is your build cost for that market increases.
Now unless you've priced your car so tight, the additional cost is hardly likely to make you say no.

IMO we are best focusing on things we have already, such as safety & emissions ratings for that sort of thing

[Daffyflyer]

You could just make it an automatic feature, based on local laws and regs. Trying to sell your new super car to the US and it would say "To sell this vehicle in this market, you must installed an electronic limiter, do you want to?

Uh, but then what would it actually do, like what player choice/gameplay experience would it add?

[DeltaForce]

Safety could be increased, unless the in game statistic is related more to how well a vehicle protects it's occupants once something happens, or perhaps to design features such as suspension type.

Reliability could be another factor as well, as lower speeds place less stress on the vehicle.

The issue is that in both cases the benefits could be realized by a driver operating the exact same vehicle, but staying at lower speeds.

[Daffyflyer]

Yeah, I just can't see a good reason for it to be honest. Details have to earn their place be being interesting and relevant choices, and I don't think this is.

[np1993]

The main reasons for speed limiters:

1. Local law (Japan, I think is 180kph)
2. Tires - cars are often designed to go faster than tires will allow, hence the speed limiter
3. Reliability - some cars are designed with, ummm... "cheaper" parts that aren't capable of withstanding the speeds the car's power-to-drag ratio would allow.
4. "Gentleman's agreement" - european cars with 155mph limiters

I would like to add:

5. Insurance, if the car its maxed out at 160km its not as likely to be caught going 50km over the limit (highest penalty speeding bracket, at least in Canada)