Ford MyKey® Technology

Just as parents block their teens from watching X-rated films or web videos, Ford Motor Company will introduce the world's first technology that will screen explicit radio content while youngsters are driving.

Ford Motor Company is preparing to debut a new version of its breakthrough MyKey® technology that – for the first time – will allow parents to block explicit satellite radio content in the vehicle, much like parents are able to prevent children from viewing certain types of television and Internet content.

The new feature will debut next year as standard equipment on the Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer, and will eventually be available across a variety of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. MyKey – designed to help parents encourage safe teen driving habits – is an easily programmable key that can limit a vehicle’s top speed, limit radio volume and encourage safety-belt usage by muting the radio until front occupants buckle up.

The radio-blocking feature works by screening out more than a dozen channels labeled by Sirius® Satellite Radio as “explicit.” While similar technology is used for blocking inappropriate content on televisions and computers, never before has such an option been available for radio programming in vehicles.

Ford’s current MyKey system – standard on most North American vehicles after launching in summer 2009 – allows owners to program a key that can limit the vehicle’s top speed to 80 mph, with chimes sounding at 45, 55 and 65 mph. The upgraded MyKey technology will now allow parents to limit a vehicle’s top speed at any of four different settings – 65, 70, 75 or 80 mph.

“Ford wants to give parents peace of mind that their kids are following practical household rules in the car,” says Graydon Reitz, director, Ford Electrical and Electronic Systems Engineering.


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