Ford Motor Co. is introducing a feature on many 2010 models that will allow parents to control how fast their teenagers can drive the new Fords. Called MyKey, the feature allows parents to program the ignition key so the car will not go faster than 80 mph. The feature also lets parents limit radio volume and program continuous chimes if seat belts are not fastened. MyKey also can prevent traction control from being disabled, so junior cannot lay rubber in the high school parking lot after a long day of school. The automaker said it recently polled parents and learned that they find such things as the speed-limiting feature to be very appealing. MyKey offers parents a stunning array of ways to control a vehicle long after it has pulled out of the driveway. The audio system is muted until the safety belt is buckled. A message center display on the instrument cluster says, "Buckle up to unmute radio."

Parents who use the new Ford MyKey can program any key through the vehicle's message center, which updates the vehicle's passive anti-theft system.

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