RE: Ford's 'dad in the dashboard'
Discussion
If you REALLY wanted to do this, you could probably just set up the same sort of telematics as the insurance black boxes, and display any infractions in real time to the driver. When you clocked up enough, the car would announce imminent shut down in say a minute's time, and not start again for an hour.
I should probably patent that.
I should probably patent that.
Mossyboy1978 said:
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.
Very honest and I totally agree. I didn't right off any cars but that was because I was lucky and there were less cars around. As a youth I drove way to fast in my parents cars. I also agree that the stereo is a distraction and a control is a great idea.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.
Well done ford and I am sure this will become common place in the years to come.
This has generally got to be a good idea, but just having 1 single speed limit isn't always going to be that useful, and could encourage driving at that speed down country lanes etc.
Not very PH but a rev limit could be more useful...
And a filter on the stereo to prevent drum and base.
Not very PH but a rev limit could be more useful...
And a filter on the stereo to prevent drum and base.
Hellbound said:
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.
As for this MyKey, it's a decent enough idea but will probably end up being used by hire car companies instead to stop people ragging the t*ts off rentals.
r7ehw said:
Very honest and I totally agree. I didn't right off any cars but that was because I was lucky and there were less cars around. As a youth I drove way to fast in my parents cars. I also agree that the stereo is a distraction and a control is a great idea.
Well done ford and I am sure this will become common place in the years to come.
Likewise, I survived the way I drove Dad's car. I never pranged it, but there were some near misses... Not sure I would want my children driving in the same way.Well done ford and I am sure this will become common place in the years to come.
Would it not be better to have 2 or 3 fixed levels of restriction rather than allowing the parents to have full control over everything? This way the levels could be standardised across manufacturers and insurance companies could mandate them as part of the cover, i.e. little Johnny is only covered if he uses the key that limits speed to 70mph and forces ESP/TCS to remain enabled.
So this is going to be available as an extra. Probably going to cost a few hundred quid maybe? Maybe parents who want to hand over the keys to the family run around would do much better and feel more confident if that few hundred pounds was spent on extra training and tuition for the offspring like the scandinavian model.
Smacks of a quick fix gimmick to engineer "value" to middle England purchasers at the showroom.
On the other hand I agree with others and applaud the fact that Ford recognise there is a safety issue around young drivers and as the government aren't making young driver safety a priority Ford themselves are doing something about it. Think it could lead to more power to the elbow of the spectre that is the insurance company if it really catches on!
Smacks of a quick fix gimmick to engineer "value" to middle England purchasers at the showroom.
On the other hand I agree with others and applaud the fact that Ford recognise there is a safety issue around young drivers and as the government aren't making young driver safety a priority Ford themselves are doing something about it. Think it could lead to more power to the elbow of the spectre that is the insurance company if it really catches on!
Guvernator said:
REALLY?? Are you insane? Do you both work for Brake or are you sure you are even on the right forum. While I certainly don't advocate reckless driving on public roads in any way, the absolute last thing I'd want is for the gubernmnet to stick a black box in my car to monitor all my driving activity. In fact they can do that right around the time they prise my car keys from my cold dead fingers!
As for this MyKey, it's a decent enough idea but will probably end up being used by hire car companies instead to stop people ragging the t*ts off rentals.
Why should it be extended to every motorist? The idea is a fair one and if they made it work in the right way, it could be beneficial for all. I think what you're struggling to see is the bigger application of this type of system. From your OTT reaction, you seem to think that the introduction of a system like this would spell the end of enjoyable motoring for every driver. Actually, if limitations were introduced for young/learner drivers and it went some way in the prevention of dangerous driving and/or fatal collisions, it may go towards premiums being reduced and lower claims, as well as an alternative to the more responsible young driver who is forced to pay an unbelievable insurance premium for the first few years as a driver.As for this MyKey, it's a decent enough idea but will probably end up being used by hire car companies instead to stop people ragging the t*ts off rentals.
I agree that I wouldn't like the government to decide to enforce this upon every driver, and being 26 with a clear licence, great car and low premium makes me happy that I have this outlook and know and understand both mine and the law's limitations. It doesn't mean I'm reduced to driving at 50% of the speed limit on a Sunday, nervously dabbing at the brakes.
will01 said:
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.
+1How will they ever learn anything if the car doesn't kill them for making a mistake?
slaveunit said:
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...
Ah, but that was a different level of control. I completely agree that a system that physically intervene is dangerous, unless every car was cabable of the same. 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...
As a side note to this (and as it isn't posted elsewhere on PH), they've finally given the Fiesta the new 1.0 ECOBoost engine! The figures achieved are incredible. I think its an amazing achievement that a 125PS supermini with a sub-10sec 0-60 time is only 99g/km co2, with diesel like torque and potential for 76.4mpg. Ford need to applauded for there market leading effort here.
If you need a small and economical car you can't go wrong with that
If you need a small and economical car you can't go wrong with that
Not so sure about it, might be a better product to sell to parents than an actual safety device.
The sort of kid who'll act like a tool in the family car will still do within the peramiters of the system unless you go mental and restrict the revs to 3k, reduce throttle opening to 50% etc even then they'll still wind the thing up to 60mph and just drive everywhere at that speed, in fact, just like 99% of 'responsible adults' given a wheezy no-power rental car to drive will take any bend, roundabout, carpark and junkfood drivethrough without the merest hint of brake to save having to wind the thing back up to speed again.
Worse than that, if I was given the 'numpty key' (I was never actually allowed the family wheels) I've have had the ECU and half the dash out trying to correct it within a week with zero idea of what I was looking for or plan to put it all back.
The sort of kid who'll act like a tool in the family car will still do within the peramiters of the system unless you go mental and restrict the revs to 3k, reduce throttle opening to 50% etc even then they'll still wind the thing up to 60mph and just drive everywhere at that speed, in fact, just like 99% of 'responsible adults' given a wheezy no-power rental car to drive will take any bend, roundabout, carpark and junkfood drivethrough without the merest hint of brake to save having to wind the thing back up to speed again.
Worse than that, if I was given the 'numpty key' (I was never actually allowed the family wheels) I've have had the ECU and half the dash out trying to correct it within a week with zero idea of what I was looking for or plan to put it all back.
Why does the limit need to be set at 70?
As a teenager driving in urban / sub urban environments I can't think of anywhere that I would go where the speed limit was over 40.
Set the limit at 40 or 45 and you've got a nice wedge of piece of mind there.
Don't forget.. It's an option, so you don't HAVE to have it, and you don't have to use it.
As a teenager driving in urban / sub urban environments I can't think of anywhere that I would go where the speed limit was over 40.
Set the limit at 40 or 45 and you've got a nice wedge of piece of mind there.
Don't forget.. It's an option, so you don't HAVE to have it, and you don't have to use it.
Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff