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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Ford feature will let parents set limits for teens

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Oct. 7, 2008 1:04 p.m. mtn Dork

Meh... I was always taught that you are carrying precious cargo in a car. Maybe its different for me, seeing as I did have the highest grade in my Drivers Ed class (which was completely worthless). My parents have told me that they never were worried about me in a car. My neighbor lets me drive his Z06. I guess I get upset because I am the exception.

And I know that I sound like I'm full of myself, and I probably am, but I don't think this is necessary--although now that I say that I remember that I won't ride in a car if my best friend is driving... Maybe it is a good idea
Oct. 7, 2008 1:14 p.m. Chris_V SuperDork

Hmm. it's a programmable key, that the parents can program. Except that for most computer related things, the kids can program better than the parents, and there'll be a hack available on the internet within a week...

I still think that as a parent, teaching your kid to drive properly is a safer bet than just another nanny that allows them to abdicate responsibility. But then again, most adults can't drive to save their lives, either, so entrusting them to properly educate their crotchfruit is probably hopeless...
Oct. 7, 2008 1:21 p.m. Keith UltraDork

We get a lot of customers asking if they can set up some sort of valet function on their freshly-turbocharged Miatas. My usual response is "don't give the keys to anyone you don't trust, regardless of horsepower". Sometimes they want to limit the power for driving in the snow or rain or something like that. But whether it's for teenagers or because they don't understand the concept of "part throttle", there's a demand out there for it. And this is an option Ford has made available.

As for being able to go 0-70 in 150' to be "safe", that's not true. People love to claim it to justify big horsepower, but it's not legit.
Oct. 7, 2008 1:40 p.m. mtn Dork

Keith wrote:

As for being able to go 0-70 in 150' to be "safe", that's not true. People love to claim it to justify big horsepower, but it's not legit.

I'm not saying big horsepower. I feel perfectly safe in a 135 HP BMW, or a 185 HP Saab that only do 0-60 in 8+ seconds. I think 8 seconds to sixty is pretty fast, and certainly more than competent. But limiting the throttle to 50% is a bad idea, sometimes you need to be able to punch it so a Semi doesn't eat you. Of course I learned how to drive in Chicagoland.
Oct. 7, 2008 1:59 p.m. 96DXCivic New Reader

Chris_V wrote:

Hmm. it's a programmable key, that the parents can program. Except that for most computer related things, the kids can program better than the parents, and there'll be a hack available on the internet within a week...

I still think that as a parent, teaching your kid to drive properly is a safer bet than just another nanny that allows them to abdicate responsibility. But then again, most adults can't drive to save their lives, either, so entrusting them to properly educate their crotchfruit is probably hopeless...

I completely agree. The kids will have beat the key in matter of seconds.
Oct. 7, 2008 2:02 p.m. Keith UltraDork

mtn wrote:

I'm not saying big horsepower. I feel perfectly safe in a 135 HP BMW, or a 185 HP Saab that only do 0-60 in 8+ seconds. I think 8 seconds to sixty is pretty fast, and certainly more than competent. But limiting the throttle to 50% is a bad idea, sometimes you need to be able to punch it so a Semi doesn't eat you. Of course I learned how to drive in Chicagoland.

50% throttle on a 250 hp car is going to feel a lot like 100% throttle in a 125 hp car :)
Oct. 7, 2008 2:23 p.m. Travis_K Reader

The main problem I can see is if it is used to limit the speed to slower than the flow of traffic (sometimes you have to drive close to 90 mph to keep from getting in peoples way on the freeway). Although most of the time it probably wouldnt really hurt anything.
Oct. 7, 2008 2:28 p.m. mtn Dork

Keith wrote:

50% throttle on a 250 hp car is going to feel a lot like 100% throttle in a 125 hp car :)

Fair enough... Sorry, I just think in terms of my own cars, and other than moms Volvo (which I just don't like), I think that the most powerful one is the Saab.... at 180ish. If you took half the horsepower out of our cars, we would be in trouble.

But at this point it begs the question, why are parents buying their kids cars with this much power in the first place if they can't trust them with it? Unless the idea is that its the parents car and the kids can drive it with a certain key?
Oct. 7, 2008 2:37 p.m. confuZion3 HalfDork

Are we forgetting that this limits maximum speed and doesn't berkeley with anything that the engine does until it gets to that 80 mph limit (which the parents can forget about by giving the regular key to the kid)? You buy a Mustang GT, it'll get its buttox from nought to your 80 mph damn fast ( ), and then cut you off. But not until you're at 80.
Oct. 7, 2008 3:18 p.m. MitchellC Reader

My first daily driver was a Geo Metro with a three-speed automatic. On the highway, it started the deathrattle at around 75; I really didn't want to be going 80 for the sake of my own safety.
Oct. 7, 2008 3:26 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

thatsnowinnebago wrote: What I don't understand is why the key limits the stereo volume to 44%. Why would it matter how loudly their kids listen to music?

Cause everyone knows when you listen to music at 45% you go insane.

Seriously, though. Really loud music can be pretty distracting, especially to young drivers who tend to be easily distracted anyway (hey, look, boobies!)

I do wonder, though, what happens if you put a monster amp in. I mean, it's 44% of what, exactly?
Oct. 7, 2008 3:47 p.m. ClemSparks UltraDork

I agree this is probably a supply to a demand. My kids won't ever be driving a car like this because I'll not be owning one like it (not because I'm agains the feature, but rather because I'm cheap). If I did have a car with that feature...sure, I'd give my kids the special key. However...kids riding in a car alone aren't so prone to surpass a speed like that anyway (who's there to show off to?).

Teaching kids to drive...sure that'll help...but they're still not convinced that they're anything less than invincible for many years after legal driving age.

The stereo thing...think about it. If you get turned around (lost) looking for a new place...what's the first thing you do? For me, it's crank down the radio so I can focus. Limit the extraneous stimulus and drivers can and will concentrate more on the task at hand.

What if you had to have both hands on the wheel (99% of the time or such) for the car to run? Do you think we'd have fewer cell phone and lipstick related accidents?

Just thoughts to ponder.

Clem
Oct. 7, 2008 3:50 p.m. 96DXCivic New Reader

Tim Baxter wrote:

thatsnowinnebago wrote: What I don't understand is why the key limits the stereo volume to 44%. Why would it matter how loudly their kids listen to music?

I do wonder, though, what happens if you put a monster amp in. I mean, it's 44% of what, exactly?

I have a feeling if you put aftermarket stereo stuff in the car it will override the volume feature on the key esp. if you change head units.
Oct. 7, 2008 4:10 p.m. thatsnowinnebago Reader

Tim Baxter wrote:

thatsnowinnebago wrote: What I don't understand is why the key limits the stereo volume to 44%. Why would it matter how loudly their kids listen to music?

Seriously, though. Really loud music can be pretty distracting, especially to young drivers who tend to be easily distracted anyway (hey, look, boobies!)

I'll be honest, I don't think boobies ever stop being distracting.
Oct. 7, 2008 4:16 p.m. MitchellC Reader

It makes driving on campus dangerous during peak foot-traffic times.

It reminds me of the time I told Osterkrout about the girl with shorts so short that the asscheeks were screaming: "Hey! Yeah you! look at me!" I almost blew the stop sign.
Oct. 7, 2008 4:56 p.m. SVreX UltraDork

My 21 yo son is a good driver. He can handle high powered cars, excellent reaction, great vision and reflexes. He has driven a lot of autocross (since he was 15), several track events, can heel-toe, and can generally tear me up on a track.

But he also thinks he's invincible.

He drives too fast, follows too close, breaks too late, all because he can.

Does that make him a good driver? He's not a defensive driver, though he can handle a vehicle. Sometimes I'd rather drive with my wife (the opposite).

I wouldn't have minded a few parental controls.

What I'm saying is, I'm not sure it is always about teaching them to drive. Some lessons come only with time or bad experiences.
Oct. 7, 2008 6:53 p.m. Capt Slow Reader

My parents had a very clever way to limit my driving hijix when I screwed up.

They took the keys away.

For a 16 year old who had just shown all of his friends his "new" car nothing was more humiliating than the blue limo (city bus).
Oct. 7, 2008 8:25 p.m. integraguy Reader

This key and it's features will "migrate" to other Ford/Mercury products. Do you really think there is anything wrong with limiting an Explorer, with a teenage driver, to LESS than 80 MPH? Or a Mustang, for that matter? In 1970 I was alone in my sister's '67 Mustang, on a flat stretch of road and got it up to an INDICATED 100+ mph. I didn't stay there long though, because that car had no power accessories of any kind...no power steering, no power brakes, CERTAINLY no disc brakes at the front. My thoughts, after a few moments, as I cruised at way over the limit weren't about being stopped for speeding, but being stopped by a blownout tire, or even a largish pothole. 99% of teenage drivers don't think about the other folks around them and what losing control will do to other people.
Oct. 8, 2008 3:12 a.m. 924guy HalfDork

This, In my opinion , is simply an extension of the coddling age we live in. For one, why are people buying new cars for their teens? make them work for their cars and learn some responsibility and maybe parents wont have to worry about their kids abusing the privilege. If you must, do a matching fund type set up, so they can bridge the gap from pos to safe daily driver, or help out with THEIR insurance, but fer gads sake, make em work for it... secondly, most accidents are at low speeds and a function of driver error, so all this electronic crap is a mute point. worried about them drag racing? well, the car you just made them work for and matched funds with doesnt have to be a 12 second car, lower power, high economy is a safe bet to discourage racing, but they are going to do it anyhow, at least once or twice. so three, send them to drivers school as mentioned above, itll keep them out of accidents and improving their skills so even if they do get a little stupid, theyll be safer about it...

I dont mean for this to sound like a rant, I just think people should take , and teach responsibility for their actions. We seem to like to take away tools of freedom lately rather than making the effort to hold people accountable for their actions and that gets me riled up...
Oct. 8, 2008 10:57 a.m. 96DXCivic New Reader

I second that there were too many kids at my high school who had new cars and trucks including a girl who had a new Mercedes-Benz SLK after she wrecked her Lexus. I can't believe parents go out and buy there kids some brand new car. It is ridiculous and seems to promote bad driving because the kid seems to think that their parents will just buy him another car (because they would more then likely).
Oct. 8, 2008 11:09 a.m. Salanis SuperDork

I'm glad that my first car was an old POS castoff that used to belong to my grandparents. I had to work on that thing, and most of my scars came from it. I really appreciate any other car I have after that one.

But then, my really first first car was my dad's new F150, the first car he'd ever bought new. He would loan me the keys to do stuff. Although I never abused it, it would have been perfectly reasonable for him to protect his investment with a limiting key. Although, he would probably have figured that I did not need one (he trusted me to solo an airplane around the country).

The new car doesn't have to be purchased for the kid. And even if we think it's goofy to purchase a new car for a beginning driver, there are people out there who will.
Oct. 8, 2008 12:02 p.m. SVreX UltraDork

A key like this is not a solution- it's a tool.

Tools are not a bad thing.
Oct. 8, 2008 12:25 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

SVreX wrote:

A key like this is not a solution- it's a tool.

Tools are not a bad thing.

Unless their chinese vice-grip knockoffs.
Oct. 8, 2008 1:04 p.m. seann Reader

I'm all for it. And I think it's really important to establish trust with teenagers so I wouldn't normally be for something like this.

When I was that young I thought I was plenty carefull made sure everyone wore their seatbelt, wouldn't let my passengers horse around, always used my turn signals, never drove after having even a drop of alcohol but still I just didn't get it. I would still do really stupid stuff like doing tripple digit speeds when I was by myself on roads I really shouldn't have. You just don't understand risk when your that young, at least I didn't.
Oct. 8, 2008 1:18 p.m. Osterkraut Reader

mtn wrote: I am the exception.

You, me, and everybody else our age!

Minor side note: ever notice how people admit to being clumsy, but nobody ever admits to being a terrible driver?

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