Many parents of teens worry about their kids driving, and with good reason. The leading cause of death for kids between the ages of 16 and 20 is car accidents. Ford is introducing the new MyKey feature on its 2010 Focus that will hopefully cut down on the number of accidents caused by driver distraction. MyKey is a system including two sets of keys – one for the kids and one for the parents.
With the MyKey system, parents can control audio volume levels, set speed warning chimes, and insist on safety belts without even being in the car. The ignition of the car reads a transponder chip in the key that then allows the parent to set defaults for the car when started with the teen key, including the Persistent Ford Beltminder™, low-fuel warning, and Park Aid and BLISTM (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert. The Persistent Ford Beltminder™ mutes the radio and sounds a six-second chime every minute until the safety belt is buckled. The low-fuel warning for teens is set to come on at 75 miles to empty instead of Ford’s standard 50 miles to empty. With the MyKey, the Park Aid and BLISTM (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert cannot be disabled, ensuring that teens get the most benefit out of Ford’s safety features.
More MyKey programmable features include
- Limited top speed of 80 mph
- Traction control system, that limits tire spin, cannot be deactivated
- Limited audio volume to 44 percent of total volume
- A speed alert chime at 45, 55 or 65 mph
According to a survey, parents would allow their teens more driving time with the MyKey system in place, giving them more driving experience in a slightly more controlled environment. While the MyKey system is currently only available on the 2010 Ford Focus, the company is looking to quickly add it as a standard feature on other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models as quickly as possible.
