A materials handling vehicle includes at least one contactless obstacle sensor that scans at least two speed zones, each speed zone being defined in an area at least partially in front of a forward traveling direction of the vehicle and being associated with a unique predetermined maximum speed greater than zero (0) miles per hour. A controller that receives information obtained from the at least one obstacle sensor and, if the vehicle is traveling under remote control, the controller is configured to limit the vehicle speed to the predetermined maximum speed of a corresponding one of the at least two speed zones based upon the detection of an obstacle in that speed zone.