Parental Ford Feature

[javsvt]

DETROIT - So you think junior is a little too lead-footed when he drives the family car? Starting next year, Ford Motor Co. will give you the power to do something about it.

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

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.

The 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 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, Sherwood said.

"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.

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

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. 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."

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

[Shay]

It is just the beginning.

It wont be long, all our cars will have GPS enabled black boxes that only allow the car to exceed a speed limit zone by 5-10 mph and/or automatically send a ticket in the mail when we do. When we recklessly cause an accident, that black box will bury us in court.

No joke.

[Pastor J]

Which is why we should all stock up on all these "dumb" cars now. lol

[Sabre]

Originally Posted by Shay

It is just the beginning.

It wont be long, all our cars will have GPS enabled black boxes that only allow the car to exceed a speed limit zone by 5-10 mph and/or automatically send a ticket in the mail when we do. When we recklessly cause an accident, that black box will bury us in court.

No joke.

Seems like "Big Brother" just keeps getting a whole bunch bigger every year!

What in the world ever happened to individualism and individual responsibility?

[Bill H]

Originally Posted by Shay

It is just the beginning.

It wont be long, all our cars will have GPS enabled black boxes that only allow the car to exceed a speed limit zone by 5-10 mph and/or automatically send a ticket in the mail when we do. When we recklessly cause an accident, that black box will bury us in court.

No joke.

Its an unfortunate outlook....but I totally believe this.

I also believe in the American ingenuity to circumvent this stuff....hot rodders will just get smarter like they did with EEC technology. A wise man once said: The more they overtake the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain.

Edit: I am in favor of the ability to do this with teenagers (depending on the teenager of course. i like the "trust first" principle) and also with ne'er do wells and criminals.

[Iflyagfour]

Well back to the origional subject, I think its a fantastic idea. Teen drivers are way too distracted as it is these days with cell phones and ipods and what not. The examples that the teens gave in the article just show the immaturity in the thought process. I mean how is governing the car to 80mph inhibiting someones ability to learn how to drive? How many crashes have you avoided by accelerating past 80mph? I cant personally think of too many myself. So I think its a good step in the right direction for sure. I just hope as the other posts have said it doesnt go too much farther!

[Shay]

Originally Posted by Sabre

What in the world ever happened to individualism and individual responsibility?

Insurance companies.

[Shay]

Originally Posted by Iflyagfour

Well back to the origional subject, I think its a fantastic idea. Teen drivers are way too distracted as it is these days with cell phones and ipods and what not. The examples that the teens gave in the article just show the immaturity in the thought process. I mean how is governing the car to 80mph inhibiting someones ability to learn how to drive? How many crashes have you avoided by accelerating past 80mph? I cant personally think of too many myself. So I think its a good step in the right direction for sure. I just hope as the other posts have said it doesnt go too much farther!

In all seriousness, most aftermarket and factory GPS systems in cars today already have the ability to provide a number of services to parents.

Even in 2005 when we bought our Hummer H2 with the factory NAV system, the dealer offered a third party service that would enable you online with the internet to set an "envelope" of time, distance or speed in which you would get an email alert if it was broken.

The dealer said you could program it to alert you if the vehicle went outside a boundary you set on a map, a speed limit you set, or a timeframe. I remember the salesman saying you can program it to alert you "if your wife is going to the mall"

[Lightning McQueen]

Originally Posted by Shay

Insurance companies.

HEY!!!

I work for one. And DON'T agree with this type of technology....

But I'm not buying any "new" cars either.

[Shay]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueen

HEY!!!

I work for one. And DON'T agree with this type of technology....

But I'm not buying any "new" cars either.

You might not, but the industry itself is the main legislative engine (lobby) behind getting more and more of this stuff into our cars.

[Cshores]

Originally Posted by Shay

It is just the beginning.

It wont be long, all our cars will have GPS enabled black boxes that only allow the car to exceed a speed limit zone by 5-10 mph and/or automatically send a ticket in the mail when we do. When we recklessly cause an accident, that black box will bury us in court.

No joke.

The "black boxes" are already in most cars sold in the US. Diagnostics are maintained on these pcm's and information can be gathered and used in court. The information is a tool that Insurance companies often leverage in accidents "against" their own clients. - at least that is what I have been told

Either way... the story about "I dont understand how or WHY that accident happened " is just a query away from these "information boxes" stating exactly what the rate of speed was and when the brakes were applied.

Drive safely my friends. It is all being tracked.

[IKandy]

I'd like to see these R&D dollars spent on better fuel economy!!!

[Shay]

Originally Posted by IKandy

I'd like to see these R&D dollars spent on better fuel economy!!!

I was just reading a report on this the other day and there are still some companies which have not gone to this.

Hyundai and Kia for instance, have not prioritized the money for these systems yet.

But, a new law just took effect that provides standards for these "black boxes", dictating what they have to read and store. It is MORE than ever, and for a longer period of time.

The law does not REQUIRE the boxes yet, but if they put them in the boxes have to meet the new regulations. In 2013, all new vehicles in the US will be required to have them.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...THISWEEKSISSUE

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