diff --git a/features/car/maxspeed.feature b/features/car/maxspeed.feature
index d32e3205f..9e77cde74 100644
--- a/features/car/maxspeed.feature
+++ b/features/car/maxspeed.feature
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @routing @maxspeed @car
 Feature: Car - Max speed restrictions
-When a max speed is set, osrm will use 2/3 of that as the actual speed.
+OSRM will use 4/5 of the projected free-flow speed.
 
     Background: Use specific speeds
         Given the profile "car"
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ When a max speed is set, osrm will use 2/3 of that as the actual speed.
 
         When I route I should get
             | from | to | route | speed        |
-            | a    | b  | ab    | 85 km/h      |
-            | b    | c  | bc    | 40 km/h +- 1 |
+            | a    | b  | ab    | 67 km/h      |
+            | b    | c  | bc    | 48 km/h +- 1 |
 
     Scenario: Car - Do not ignore maxspeed when higher than way speed
         Given the node map
@@ -31,21 +31,21 @@ When a max speed is set, osrm will use 2/3 of that as the actual speed.
 
         When I route I should get
             | from | to | route | speed        |
-            | a    | b  | ab    | 25 km/h      |
-            | b    | c  | bc    | 60 km/h +- 1 |
+            | a    | b  | ab    | 20 km/h      |
+            | b    | c  | bc    | 72 km/h +- 1 |
 
     Scenario: Car - Forward/backward maxspeed
         Given a grid size of 100 meters
 
         Then routability should be
             | highway | maxspeed | maxspeed:forward | maxspeed:backward | forw        | backw        |
-            | primary |          |                  |                   | 65 km/h     | 65 km/h      |
-            | primary | 60       |                  |                   | 40 km/h     | 40 km/h      |
-            | primary |          | 60               |                   | 40 km/h     | 65 km/h      |
-            | primary |          |                  | 60                | 65 km/h     | 40 km/h      |
-            | primary | 15       | 60               |                   | 40 km/h     | 10 km/h +- 1 |
-            | primary | 15       |                  | 60                | 10 km/h +- 1| 40 km/h      |
-            | primary | 15       | 30               | 60                | 20 km/h     | 40 km/h      |
+            | primary |          |                  |                   | 51 km/h     | 51 km/h      |
+            | primary | 60       |                  |                   | 48 km/h     | 48 km/h      |
+            | primary |          | 60               |                   | 48 km/h     | 65 km/h      |
+            | primary |          |                  | 60                | 51 km/h     | 48 km/h      |
+            | primary | 15       | 60               |                   | 48 km/h     | 15 km/h +- 1 |
+            | primary | 15       |                  | 60                | 12 km/h +- 1| 48 km/h      |
+            | primary | 15       | 30               | 60                | 24 km/h     | 48 km/h      |
 
     Scenario: Car - Maxspeed should not allow routing on unroutable ways
         Then routability should be
diff --git a/features/car/speed.feature b/features/car/speed.feature
index 4df30ed4d..4f54a332c 100644
--- a/features/car/speed.feature
+++ b/features/car/speed.feature
@@ -8,17 +8,17 @@ Feature: Car - speeds
     Scenario: Car - speed of various way types
         Then routability should be
             | highway        | oneway | bothw        |
-            | motorway       | no     | 90 km/h      |
-            | motorway_link  | no     | 75 km/h      |
-            | trunk          | no     | 85 km/h +- 1 |
-            | trunk_link     | no     | 70 km/h +- 1 |
-            | primary        | no     | 65 km/h +- 1 |
-            | primary_link   | no     | 60 km/h      |
-            | secondary      | no     | 55 km/h +- 1 |
-            | secondary_link | no     | 50 km/h      |
-            | tertiary       | no     | 40 km/h      |
-            | tertiary_link  | no     | 30 km/h      |
-            | unclassified   | no     | 25 km/h      |
-            | residential    | no     | 25 km/h      |
-            | living_street  | no     | 10 km/h      |
-            | service        | no     | 15 km/h      |
+            | motorway       | no     | 72 km/h      |
+            | motorway_link  | no     | 60 km/h      |
+            | trunk          | no     | 67 km/h +- 1 |
+            | trunk_link     | no     | 55 km/h +- 1 |
+            | primary        | no     | 52 km/h +- 1 |
+            | primary_link   | no     | 48 km/h      |
+            | secondary      | no     | 43 km/h +- 1 |
+            | secondary_link | no     | 40 km/h      |
+            | tertiary       | no     | 32 km/h      |
+            | tertiary_link  | no     | 24 km/h      |
+            | unclassified   | no     | 20 km/h      |
+            | residential    | no     | 20 km/h      |
+            | living_street  | no     |  8 km/h      |
+            | service        | no     | 12 km/h      |
diff --git a/profiles/car.lua b/profiles/car.lua
index 98563aa1f..9c65852c7 100644
--- a/profiles/car.lua
+++ b/profiles/car.lua
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ local abs = math.abs
 local min = math.min
 local max = math.max
 
-local maxspeed_reduction = 0.66
+local speed_reduction = 0.8
 
 local function find_access_tag(source,access_tags_hierachy)
   for i,v in ipairs(access_tags_hierachy) do
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ function way_function (way)
 
   if way.speed == -1 then
     local highway_speed = speed_profile[highway]
-    local max_speed = parse_maxspeed( way.tags:Find("maxspeed") )*maxspeed_reduction
+    local max_speed = parse_maxspeed( way.tags:Find("maxspeed") )
     -- Set the avg speed on the way if it is accessible by road class
     if highway_speed then
       if max_speed > highway_speed then
@@ -244,8 +244,8 @@ function way_function (way)
   end
 
   -- Override speed settings if explicit forward/backward maxspeeds are given
-  local maxspeed_forward = parse_maxspeed(way.tags:Find( "maxspeed:forward"))*maxspeed_reduction
-  local maxspeed_backward = parse_maxspeed(way.tags:Find( "maxspeed:backward"))*maxspeed_reduction
+  local maxspeed_forward = parse_maxspeed(way.tags:Find( "maxspeed:forward"))
+  local maxspeed_backward = parse_maxspeed(way.tags:Find( "maxspeed:backward"))
   if maxspeed_forward > 0 then
     if Way.bidirectional == way.direction then
       way.backward_speed = way.speed
@@ -261,6 +261,12 @@ function way_function (way)
     way.ignore_in_grid = true
   end
   way.type = 1
+
+  -- scale speeds to get better avg driving times
+  way.speed = way.speed * speed_reduction
+  if maxspeed_backward > 0 then
+    way.backward_speed = way.backward_speed*speed_reduction
+  end
   return
 end