Ford has announced that the new Ford Fiesta, which will be launched in South Africa in 2013, will feature the innovative MyKey technology. The Ford MyKey System allows parents to place certain restrictions on younger drivers to promote safety.

Ford MyKey System to promote safety

The Ford MyKey System will allow Fiesta owners to program a key for younger drivers that will restrict and limit the top speed of the vehicle and will reduce the maximum volume of the audio system and even disable the audio system if the passengers are not using safety belts. The Ford MyKey system can also prevent the driver from deactivating safety technologies such as the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) which assists in avoiding and preventing collisions.

Ford Marketing Manager, Gavin Golightly says, “Parents will love MyKey. It’s a tool that will allow them to reduce their children’s’ exposure to risk at the wheel. Conversely young drivers may initially be sceptical but when they learn that it may ultimately improve the chances of their parents allowing them to drive in the first place, they too are likely to see the benefits.”

Surveys reveal demand

A survey conducted in Europe has revealed that drivers under 25 years of age are twice as likely to be involved in an accident, while a Ford-commissioned survey has shown that 46% of parents of children under the age of 20 say that speeding is their number one concern.

The survey of more than 6000 parents of young drivers across Europe found that 53% of parents would be more willing to let their teenager’s drive if their car was equipped with the Ford MyKey System.

The MyKey system works by recognising different keys for the same car and adjusts the vehicle settings according to the owner’s requirements. The owner can programme chimes to sound at set points between 70-140km/h and prevent seatbelt reminders from being disabled as well as delivering an earlier low-fuel warning.

??New Ford Fiesta for South Africa??

The new Ford Fiesta will be launched in South Africa in 2013 and will also be equipped with the Ford SYNC voice-activated in-car connectivity system. The new Fiesta will be powered by Ford’s award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine that will deliver impressive fuel economy while providing performance usually associated with a larger displacement engine. ??Further details will be announced closer to the Ford Fiesta’s launch in South Africa in 2013.