Ford’s unique MyKey technology allows parents to programme a key with certain restrictions such as a top speed limit, music volume limit, disable the radio until seat belts are fastened and prevents deactivation of driver assistance and safety technologies. Cris Burgess, a psychologist and U.K. government advisor, believes MyKey can help young drivers resist pressure to take risks on the road. Essentially, they can “blame” MyKey.
“Young drivers may want to drive safely, but are perhaps less inclined to do so because they feel pressure from their friends or other drivers,” said Burgess, senior lecturer in psychology at Exeter University. “MyKey can remove the influence of personal control on the vehicle’s top speed and maximum volume. That gives young drivers who may feel pressurised to drive in a risky fashion an excuse to drive safely.”
Ford MyKey is standard on most new North American Ford vehicles and is now being introduced in the UK as the new Ford Fiesta goes on sale. Ford plans to roll-out the technology across its European product line-up by 2015. The technology works by recognising different keys for the same car and then adjusting the vehicle settings according to the owner’s requirements. It enables owners to set the system so:
The audio system is disabled completely if seatbelts are not used
Chimes sound at set points between 40 and 80mph to highlight when the vehicle is travelling at higher speeds
Seatbelt reminders cannot be disabled
An earlier low-fuel warning is delivered; that aims to reduce the likelihood the driver will run out of fuel
Safety technologies such as Electronic Stability Control and Active City Stop cannot be deactivated
Burgess said young men are most prone to pressure from peers to take risks on the road. According to data published by the Department for Transport in the UK, 27 per cent of male drivers aged between 17 and 19 are involved in a road traffic collision within one year of passing their driving test.
The above is hardly new information. Anyone who knows the first thing about driving and ‘at risk’ driving groups will identify young male drivers who are inexperienced as the most likely to present a risk of being involved in a road traffic collision.
However, do you feel that the Ford system is the way forward? I’ve long campaigned for more and better training, particularly post test, to ensure safer driving on UK roads. However, this technology can’t hurt or hinder the constant drive to ensure driving continues to be safer for all and especially those most likely to crash.
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