Four Reasons Parents Should Key in to Ford’s MyKey

No one ever suggested raising kids would be easy. Whoever said “little kids, little problems” was onto something. Once they hit their teenage years…, that’s a whole different set of concerns: curfews, peer pressure, falling in with the wrong crowd, music preferences that would make a sailor blush – the list goes on.

And try as we might to ensure our kids make smart, responsible life choices, there’s only so much you can do. Sometimes we just have to trust that they’ll do the right thing. Talk about a whole lotta worry!

But thanks to Ford’s innovative technology, at least now there’s a way to gain a window into your teens’ driving habits, with plenty of information and enough control to make it seem like you’re riding alongside them.

MyKey – an available tool on many Ford vehicles that helps you understand your kid’s driving habits, even when you’re not right there in the passenger seat.

Basically, if you’re looking for peace of mind when your teen driver is behind the wheel, Ford’s MyKey offers it in spades. Program your teen’s key, manage the settings using your designated “administrator” key, and then send your young driver on their way in peace.

Here’s how, and why, it works:

  1. It’s all about slowing their roll 

If your kid is developing a lead foot, your MyKey allows you to put a speed cap on their driving. With different thresholds (105, 113, 121 or 135 km/hr) you allow your teen the wiggle room to avoid a potentially dangerous situation while keeping tabs on their speed.

There’s also an available chime alert that can be set to go off as they hit certain speeds below your pre-set maximums as well. Receive a speed minder alert as they surpass 75, 90, or 105 km/h. Talk about a way to accelerate safe driving!

MyKey

  1. They’ll always buckle under MyKey’s pressure

Seatbelts are seriously synonymous with your strict standards of safety. All drivers should wear them at all times. That’s why MyKey mutes the audio system and let’s Ford’s Belt Minder system chime until seat belts are buckled.

  1. Claim a volume victory by limiting the music’s maximum

Just in case your young driver likes to crank the volume before their favourite DJ drops some big, bumpin’ bass, you can ensure those heavy beats stay at a radically reasonable level. Keep the distractions to a minimum by ensuring the sound system stays under 45% of its maximum volume.

MyKey

  1. Fuel me once, fuel me twice…

Younger drivers may need a helping hand when it comes to keeping an eye on the amount of gas left in the tank. Thankfully MyKey gives an early warning so there’s still plenty of time to fill ‘er up before it’s too late. Get the low fuel warning with 120 km remaining in the tank, rather than the standard 80 km.