"US CAR GIANT Ford is set to bring its My Key technology to the UK, much to the chagrin of would-be boy and girl racers.
My Key is designed to make Ford vehicles safer to drive and aims to help reduce the number of fatal accidents involving under 25 year old drivers.
The technology aims to offer parents peace of mind, as it allow parents to control settings via a master key, explained Pim Van der Jagt, managing director of the Ford research centre at Aachen.
He told attendees at IFA that excessive speed causes 30 per cent of all accidents involving young male drivers and 21 per cent of those involving young female drivers.
"MyKey has a number of features to help The top speed can be limited, depending on the settings, warnings will sound at 70, 90 or 100 kph. Driving aids such as park assist, lane departure warning, emergency assistance cannot be deactivated," he said.
"My Key also encourages sealtbelt use by activating a reminder chime and muting the audio until front passengers comply."
Parents will be relieved to hear that they will no longer have to experience a late-night call from stranded teenagers, as the feature also provide early low-fuel warnings. Drivers are warned when they have 120Km of fuel left.
However, teenagers who love their music loud might be disappointed to learn that parents will also be able to limit the volume of the audio system to minimise distractions.
Ford plans make My Key available to European drivers when it releases the Ford Fiesta in 2012, and it aims to make the feature standard. However, all is not lost, as 53 per cent of parents surveyed by Ford said that they would give their teenagers more access to the family vehicle if these settings were present.
No doubt, not many budding Michael (and Michaelline) Schumachers will be asking their parents to buy a 2012 Ford Fiesta. ยต
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This post has been edited by sevendogz: Sep 2 2011, 09:49 AM