Ford finally gets the right idea about Teenie Drivers!

[2002_Z28_Six_Speed]

Not so fast, junior! Device will help parents limit teen drivers

• Story Highlights
• Ford will let parents limit the speed at which their teenage children drive their car
• Feature will limit teen drivers to 80 mph, using a computer chip in the key
• Called "MyKey," it will be standard on some 2010 Ford models
• Feature also can limit the car stereo's volume and chime if seat belts aren't worn

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/biztech....ap/index.html

DETROIT (AP) -- Starting next year, Ford Motor Co. will allow parents to limit the speed at which their teenage children drive their car.
Some 2010 Ford vehicles will have a computer chip that lets parents limit how fast their teen-agers can drive.

Some 2010 Ford vehicles will have a computer chip that lets parents limit how fast their teen-agers can drive.

The company will roll out a new feature on many 2010 models that can limit teen drivers to 80 mph (130 kph), using a computer chip in the key.

Parents in the United States, where most teens can get their drivers license at 16, also have the option of programming the car 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.

More than 5,000 U.S. teens die each year in car crashes. The rate of crashes, fatal and nonfatal, per mile driven for 16-year-old drivers is almost 10 times the rate for drivers ages 30 to 59, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The new feature, called "MyKey," will be standard on an unspecified number of Ford models when the 2010 cars and trucks come out late next summer. The feature will spread to the entire Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup as models are updated, spokesman Wes Sherwood said.

Ford arrived at the 80 mph (130 kph) 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 (112 kph), Sherwood said.
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"Just lopping it off at exactly 70 mph was felt to be too limiting," Buczkowski said.

The company already uses computer chips in its keys to prevent thefts. The car won't start unless it recognizes the chip in the key.

"It's making use of existing technology, and through the magic of software, we're able to build features on top of the features we already have," Buczkowski said.

In addition to speed limits, MyKey also will limit the volume of the audio system, and it will sound a six-second chime every minute if seat belts are not fastened. The chime sounds for adult drivers, too, but ends after five minutes to avoid annoying adults who adamantly don't want to wear seat belts, Buczkowski said.

The feature will debut on the 2010 Focus compact car and quickly move to other company models as a standard feature, the company said.

Ford said its market research shows 75 percent of parents like the speed and audio limits, but as you might expect, 67 percent of teens don't like them.

Danisha Williams, a 16-year-old senior at Southfield-Lathrup High School in suburban Detroit, said she's against the idea.

"I wouldn't want my parents to have that much control over how I'm driving," she said. "If your parents are holding your hand, you're never going to learn."

Brittany Hawthorne, 17, another Southfield-Lathrup senior, said there may be emergency situations where she'd have to drive more than 80, possibly to accelerate to avoid a crash.

Ford's research shows that parents would be more likely to let teens use their vehicles with the system, Sherwood said, and if it gets them the car more often, the number of teens objecting drops by nearly half.

A top official from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research group funded by the auto insurance industry that is pushing to raise the minimum driving age to 17 or 18, found the key intriguing and said she was not aware of any other manufacturer offering such a feature. IIHS says car crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers.

"Research we've done has shown that speeding is a major factor in teen crashes, especially novice teen drivers," said Anne McCartt, the institute's senior vice president for research. "So I think a system that tries to correct the speeding behavior has the potential to improve safety."

Several U.S. auto insurers have begun offering in-car cameras or global positioning equipment to help parents monitor their teens' driving behavior, in the hope of reducing the number of crashes.
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Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Pipelayaz]

Good! Maybe it'll lower insurance costs... we can only hope!

[ColeTrains'96Z28]

that is kinda cool i woulda hated it when i was young though

[The Manalishi]

Retarded in my opinion. It doesn't teach kids responsibility, in fact it does the opposite it teaches them that they don't have to take responsibility. Let them learn it like all of us middle aged guys had to. I swear all this saving us from ourselves crap is going to be the end of any fun in our society. Whats next?

[Joshiedoom]

Eh, smart kids like me would go to radioshack, buy a .30 cent resistor and fix that crap. Worthless. What happens if your baby girl was being chased by some raptist and her 80mph limited car wasnt enough!!! lol.. Good idea for some, doesnt teach self control, which I guess I need

[2002_Z28_Six_Speed]

Originally Posted by Joshiedoom

Eh, smart kids like me would go to radioshack, buy a .30 cent resistor and fix that crap. Worthless. What happens if your baby girl was being chased by some raptist and her 80mph limited car wasnt enough!!! lol.. Good idea for some, doesnt teach self control, which I guess I need

I think the newer Ford cars are RFID. The chip is actually in the plastic handle and doesn't actually go in the circuit. I am not 100% sure.

[1996firebirdformula]

How this help young drivers? 80 mph Limited? That still won't stop them from crashing.

[Spoolin]

Well at the very least I see this as potentially boosting Ford sales. Most parents buy their kids Toyota's or Volvo's or something else based on the idea of buying them a safe relaible car is what's best for their little ones. At least some of those parents who would of bought a safe import might instead chose to buy a ford instead. Regardless of whether it's good or bad it should help their sales.Personally I would of hated it growing up. Probably swap it with my parents key without them knowing. Hell I know they don't drive 80...the would never know!

[unit213]

I think it's a good thing. I sure needed it as a kid...even though I would've hated
it.

[LrngCrv]

My Firebird already has this feature, it's called HPTuners and I don't even have a radio in it...

I don't think it is a bad idea, there is nothing wrong with giving parents more options in protecting their children. That's freedom in my mind, not the other way around. You don't have to use it.

Whether it is as useful as they make it sound at keeping kids safer? I personally don't think it would make much of a difference.

[WSsick]

I think its a good idea. I went 95 within hours of getting my license, 105 within 1 day. This is smart, although I think they should find a way to keep the car from moving if the seatbelts are not on.

One more thing, if this will somehow lower insurance rates, I am figuring out a way to convince my insurance company that I installed one of these myself.

[oberth1]

Who the hell avoids an accident by going 80mph? anyways, not a bad idea, but depends on the area. See if it was a variable speed programable by the parent in car, kind of like reseting options like trip odometer with a special key then it would be more enticing. Out here in NY there isnt a roadway that has a speed limit faster than 50, so why should they need to go 65-70 let alone 80 not that everyone does the speed limit but seriously im sick and tired of pulling these little punk ass kids over in mommys altima or daddys focus doin 100+ because they have to get home before they "get in trouble". How bout gettin there alive you inexperienced lil shit?

x2 for the resistor idea, if i was 17 again.

[unit213]

Originally Posted by LrngCrv

My Firebird already has this feature, it's called HPTuners and I don't even have a radio in it...

There was a point where I was modifying the tune in my car to not allow it to
rev past 2,000rpm. I'm with you on that. Too bad the vast majority
of people don't understand how to do that. OEM's have to make things
plug-and-play since the general public isn't that intelligent as a whole.

[WECIV]

I know one day I will have kids. But I think it is a horrid idea!!! Street racing keeps kids off of drugs

This is just a step in the direction of all cars having their speeds limited...including our cars

W

[reject]

see i would never have that problem, parents would never buy me anything new to learn on. you learn in the slow POS so when you hit poles and jump curbs you aint fkking up expensive shit!

[1996firebirdformula]

Brittany Hawthorne, 17, another Southfield-Lathrup senior, said there may be emergency situations where she'd have to drive more than 80, possibly to accelerate to avoid a crash

This one made me Laugh. Have to go faster then 80 mph to avoid crash WTH? LOL!!!

[2002_Z28_Six_Speed]

Yea, people frequently declare that going faster would help them from all these movie like situations but in reality the cars that this will be implemented in would never be able to accelerate fast enough to ever avoid a crash or outrun a killer.

Is it possible? Yes. Plausible? Hell no!

[whatsgrip?]

This is great! now only if chevy could do this for the camaro SS and I can buy my lil sis the car and not worry too much 'til i use the "other" key

[~JOSHUA]

I love the idea, and I don't even have kids...

The seatbelt chimes are good.... (buckle up you little squirt)
The speed limit is good for obvious reasons (I can't believe you guys try to argue that)

Kids have to abuse and sometimes wreck their first car.... if they have friends in the car and (you know the mentality at that point) they all know that the car wont go past 65 or 70.... then it kinda puts highway stupidity on the back burner.

[WS-Sick]

People just need to learn how to use self-control. It's not hard if you have any sort of intelligence. I had plenty self-control as a teen with my T/A. Stupid people always get others hurt though so I can't call this a bad idea.