RE: Ford's 'dad in the dashboard'
Thursday 22nd November 2012
It’s already been around in the US for some time now, but Ford’s MyKey system is set to make its debut in the UK this December on the revamped Fiesta.
New system will debut in FiestaThis new system is geared towards parents who share their car with their kids. The premise is simple: you get a special key to give to your kids, and you can program how the car behaves when it’s driven using that key.
MyKey can be used to govern top speedWith European drivers under the age of 25 twice as likely to be involved in a fatal accident as any other, according to Ford research, this all seems on the surface like a pretty good idea. But that said, none of us likes a nanny in our car, and it did get us wondering whether it might all be a little over-zealous.
Ford's 'dad in the dashboard'
UK debut of MyKey lets parents set speed and stereo volume. Good idea or nannying nonsense?
New system will debut in Fiesta
You can limit the maximum speed at which your progeny can drive, as well as how loudly they can listen to the stereo. The stereo can even be turned off if seatbelts aren't being worn. There are also options to prevent deactivation of driver assistance technology, such as traction control and the new automatic 'city stop' braking function, and even to provide an earlier fuel warning.
It’s the first system of its kind, but Ford hopes that this sort of technology might sway potential customers who want to make sure their offspring can’t go out racing in the family car. They even suggest that younger drivers might warm to the idea once they realise that it’ll make their folks more amenable to the idea of them borrowing the car.
It’ll soon be rolled out as an option on all Ford models, and the company says that there’s the option to expand it to include other vehicle functions, too, atlhough we're struggling to think what. No access to the boot? Engine stops if all occupants start a Bohemian Rhapsody singalong?
If it’s a success, you can bet your bottom dollar that other manufacturers will follow suit with similar systems.
MyKey can be used to govern top speed
What’s more, there’s a danger that it’ll lull parents into a false sense of security – after all, limiting the maximum speed of the car can’t prevent younger drivers from driving dangerously and doing damage in residential areas.
So what’s your take on it? Are you a parent who’d welcome it? Or is it just another gimmick, another bit of electronic trickery that you’d sooner do without?
Discussion
I think it may be a great idea on paper, but i think young drivers in a way have to go out there and learn from their mistakes.
This is what really teaches young drivers how to drive, as you quickly learn you cant drive like a dick unless they dont mind losing their license etc
i sorry if that sounds callous, if you have all this nanny nonsense then they just going to find another way.
best idea would be to make young people learn how to drive old classic cars so they get a real sense of how a car drives, e.g. no airbags, no abs, no stability control, no power steering.
i not that old myself, but i started out in an old ford and it quickly taught you how you couldn't drive on the public roads
This is what really teaches young drivers how to drive, as you quickly learn you cant drive like a dick unless they dont mind losing their license etc
i sorry if that sounds callous, if you have all this nanny nonsense then they just going to find another way.
best idea would be to make young people learn how to drive old classic cars so they get a real sense of how a car drives, e.g. no airbags, no abs, no stability control, no power steering.
i not that old myself, but i started out in an old ford and it quickly taught you how you couldn't drive on the public roads
scrof said:
after all, limiting the maximum speed of the car can’t prevent younger drivers from driving dangerously and doing damage in residential areas.
I completely agree with this part. However, having just written a lengthy post, only to receive the PH technical issue message, I'm not going to write it out again.The focus should really be on using satellite navigation to determine location or time of day, as a way of limiting speed or the ECU monitoring overly-aggressive driving patterns and shutting off the engine for a pre-determined amount of time. The only advantage this may have is preventing your son or daughter being caught for speeding on major roads, when the emphasis is more on towns/cities and built up areas.
CypherP said:
The focus should really be on using satellite navigation to determine location or time of day, as a way of limiting speed or the ECU monitoring overly-aggressive driving patterns and shutting off the engine for a predetermined amount of time. The only advantage this may have is preventing your son or daughter being caught for speeding on major roads, when the emphasis is more on towns/cities and built up areas.
I was going to make this suggestion too. I applaud Ford for doing this anyway. Why? Because the next logical step and how this technology will progress is through pin pointing the cars location and preventing the driver from driving, for example, no more than 5mph over the designated speed limit for that road.
When I was a young brat I was banned twice and didn't know anyone of my age who hadn't done well over 100mph on the M4 and/or connecting roads (at night etc etc). Very stupid behavior and I now drive like some sort of demented fool hell bent on staying with the confines of the law at all times. If I had a car that was limited to 80 as a youth, things would have been different.
But again, the next step really would be to vary the speed limit of the car depending on the road. What really boils my piss is when idiots drive at over 50 down a 30.
Paul O said:
I think its a great idea!
Its an option to be used if needed and no one is forced to use it.
Exactly, it's an option. And seriously, what sort of moronic young driver is going to rebel at their parents because they've limited his NEW and FREE car to 75mph? I doubt many would limit the volume though, as a compromise they'll probably let that one slide.Its an option to be used if needed and no one is forced to use it.
I must say it is notable flawed.
Skoda came up with a system, (I think it was Skoda in house, or a company using a Skoda as a test bed) Regardless, it used sat nav to work out where you were, what the speed limit was, and then stop you breaking it. The idea was, so people didn't 'accidentally' drift over by a couple of mph and get roggered by the rozzers.
Such a system could be incorporated, and whilst I personally find the system offensive as a young driver who has owned 200bhp+ cars from 18 years old and onwards, I can 100% agree that some young drivers have a death wish, and the desire to extend that wish to other innocent motorists on the road. . . .
Skoda came up with a system, (I think it was Skoda in house, or a company using a Skoda as a test bed) Regardless, it used sat nav to work out where you were, what the speed limit was, and then stop you breaking it. The idea was, so people didn't 'accidentally' drift over by a couple of mph and get roggered by the rozzers.
Such a system could be incorporated, and whilst I personally find the system offensive as a young driver who has owned 200bhp+ cars from 18 years old and onwards, I can 100% agree that some young drivers have a death wish, and the desire to extend that wish to other innocent motorists on the road. . . .
As both a responsible parent in my current life and a totally irresponsible driver in my youth I can see real value here. I wrote off three cars in five years after passing my test. All because I was being a plonker at the wheel and not really taking notice of safety as a priorty. Thankfully I never hurt anyone but I could have done.
The issue is that I was handling a potentially fatal weapon if used in the worng way and without suitable regard for safety. Many kids will drive safe but why risk that they have a bad day and don't if you can offer protection from afar?
This is not about nannying. As a parent you have two important responsibilities when you put your child in a car as the driver - one is to protect them, the other is to protect other drivers and their passengers. If you can influence how safe both groups are, then why would you not do that?
I agree the issue with the stereo is a smaller one but what about issues regarding attracting unwanted attention to your son/daughter in the from nasty people that might put them in danger? Or distracting them from driving safe through excessive noise. This is all about safety. If you can make roads safer by exerting control over drivers that have less driving and life experience than most motorists it's a sensible approach.
The issue is that I was handling a potentially fatal weapon if used in the worng way and without suitable regard for safety. Many kids will drive safe but why risk that they have a bad day and don't if you can offer protection from afar?
This is not about nannying. As a parent you have two important responsibilities when you put your child in a car as the driver - one is to protect them, the other is to protect other drivers and their passengers. If you can influence how safe both groups are, then why would you not do that?
I agree the issue with the stereo is a smaller one but what about issues regarding attracting unwanted attention to your son/daughter in the from nasty people that might put them in danger? Or distracting them from driving safe through excessive noise. This is all about safety. If you can make roads safer by exerting control over drivers that have less driving and life experience than most motorists it's a sensible approach.
CypherP said:
The focus should really be on using satellite navigation to determine location or time of day, as a way of limiting speed or the ECU monitoring overly-aggressive driving patterns and shutting off the engine for a pre-determined amount of time. The only advantage this may have is preventing your son or daughter being caught for speeding on major roads, when the emphasis is more on towns/cities and built up areas.
They trialled this on motorbikes a few years back, the gps would see you passed a speed limit sign and slow the bike, and the entire biking community kicked off as the system as lethally dangerous.If they cant make it work for bikes it wont go into cars, or everyone would just buy bikes, so afaik it's been shelved.
I think the Mykey system sounds like a winner. setting it to 70 wont stop accidents, but if the car never leaves town, set it to 40 and that'll help. Wether it works or not though, it'll sell cars...
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