The Ford Motor Company announced today that they will be implementing a new technology called MyKey to allow parents to have better control over their kids' driving habits. The first examples of this will appear on the 2010 Focus Coupe and should quickly spread to other models.
MyKey uses Ford's existing technology to determine which key is being put in the ignition and then knows which driving mode to enable when the car is started. This system allows parents to limit the vehicle's top speed to 80 miles per hour and limit the stereo's volume up to 44 percent of its maximum ability. Also, MyKey does not allow the traction control system to be deactivated, and delivers a low-fuel warning at 75 miles to empty, rather than the standard 50. Cautious parents may also opt to have a speed alert chime come on at 45, 55, or, 65 miles per hour, and the system will repeatedly chime when seatbelts are not being used.
Parents of teen drivers like the idea of MyKey, and initial polling shows that 75 percent like the speed-limiting feature, 72 percent like the seatbelt reminder, and 63 percent like the audio limit feature. On the contrary, teen drivers were also polled, and 67 percent said that they disagree with the MyKey system. However, if having MyKey would, in turn, lead to more driving privileges, only 36 percent of teens would object to the system.
(Click through the post for Ford's complete press release.)
