Ford MyKey implements on-board "babysitter" for teens

by jessica.lam | October 6, 2008 at 03:54 pm

545 views | 7 Recommendations | 8 comments

It's too bad teens don't have the means to purchase cars, otherwise this on-board "nanny" wouldn't even be considered as a selling point.

When enabled, MyKey can cap the top speed of the car to 80MPH. That's not too bad, really. But it can also chime whenever the car reaches 45MPH, 55MPH and 65MPH, apparently to "alert young drivers about their acceleration." Oh-kay.

It can also limit the volume on the car stereo, which would piss me off to no end, and chime every five minutes when the seat belts aren't buckled. Lastly, it'll chime when the car is 75 miles from empty.

In the feature, called MyKey, parents also have the option of programming the teen’s key to limit the audio system’s volume, and to sound continuous alerts if the driver doesn’t wear a seat belt.
“Our message to parents is, hey, we are providing you some conditions to give your new drivers that may allow you to feel a little more comfortable in giving them the car more often,” said Jim Buczkowski, Ford’s director of electronic and electrical systems engineering.
MyKey will be standard on some 2010 cars and trucks come out late next summer, and spread to the entire Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup as models are updated.

Ford arrived at the 80 mph limit even though freeway speed limits are lower in most states because it wanted to leave a margin in case an unusual situation arises, Buczkowski said. In some states, freeway speed limits are above 70 mph.

Parents will also have the option of having the car sound a chime if the teen exceeds 45, 55 or 65 mph.

The automaker’s own market research shows 75 percent of parents like the speed and audio limits. However, 67 percent of teens don’t like them.

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JoelleW360

at 14:40 on October 7th, 2008

This was a photo taken of a car at the Show'n'Shine classic car festival in Granite Falls, WA.

Photo taken by Joelle Wright

JoelleW360 has contributed a photo to this story.

TeamFord

at 16:51 on October 7th, 2008

This really is a great thing. It may even lower insurance costs. Don't forget; The parent can chose what to restrict and that is a great thing. Now if they could only disable the ability to text while the car is in motion. That seems to be killing a lot of teens lately.

TeamFord has contributed a photo to this story.

Spoiler_3

at 18:54 on October 7th, 2008

Salt lake Auto Show, 2008

Spoiler_3 has contributed a photo to this story.

jeffreytayler

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 20:22 on October 7th, 2008

jessica.lam, I like this story. It's good stuff.

lalogotheque

at 00:02 on October 8th, 2008

Taken at the occasion of a Ford Cars Meeting in Auberives-sur-Varèze (38) in France.
++Michel

lalogotheque has contributed a photo to this story.

ScuderiaAniello

at 22:52 on October 12th, 2008

Thanks for adding my photo to this "amazing" story.

As I have just hit my twenties, I have responsibilities, and am a working man, and respect the road's principles... But this is outrageous. 45 MPH!? For god sakes, they wont be able to drive the highway speed limit!!! This won't show teens anything but to rebel against this, and the music... Sure it may be loud sometimes, but not a monitor to beep and beep about it... This is crazy, just insane.

joefromla

at 16:58 on October 13th, 2008

This photo was taken in Mansfield on the movie set of "The Great Debaters." I happened to be passing through the courthouse square and noticed a crowd and looked again to see that the courthouse and facing street had been turned into a movie set. Shooting was finished for the day, and the crowd waiting for Denzel Washing to show up and receive an honor of some kind from the mayor. Anyway, this pic is of one of the cars parked near the courthouse to provide 1920s asmosphere.

joefromla has contributed a photo to this story.