Parental Controls

Basic Description

Parental controls tailor certain automotive operational parameters to the particular key used to access the car. The first parental control system offered by an automotive OEM was the Ford MyKey system introduced in the 2010 model year in the U.S. and in the 2012 model year in Europe. The MyKey system allowed parents to give their driving-age children a key that put limits on the maximum speed of the car, radio volume, and other features often associated with unsafe driving. The MyKey system is still available on many Ford models today.

In 2016, several other car manufacturers introduced parental control systems. Several Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and Volkswagen models are available with monitoring functions that can send text alerts to parents if the car is driven outside a geographic area, after a curfew time, or above a maximum speed. General Motors has introduced a system they call Teen Driver that mutes the radio until front-seat occupants fasten their seat belts and gives the driver audible and visual warnings if the car is traveling above a preset speed. When the child returns home, parents can access their child's driving stats such as maximum speed, total distance traveled, and how many times certain safety features were activated.

Sensors

acceleration sensor, GPS receiver, vehicle speed

Actuators

Throttle, speakers, display

Data Communications

Existing CAN or LIN interfaces between systems.

Manufacturers

Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Volkswagen

For More Information

[1] MyKey, Wikipedia.

[2] Parent-Controlled Car Key, YouTube, Sep. 3, 2009.

[3] 2011 Ford MyKey Offers Speed and Radio Restrictions for Teens, YouTube, Dec. 30, 2010.

[4] Hi-Tech Car Key Gives Parents Peace of Mind, YouTube, Sep. 1, 2011.

[5] 2012 Ford MyKey Technology Big, YouTube, July 17, 2012.

[6] These Cars Can Keep Tabs on Your Teen Driver, US News & World Report, Mar. 10, 2016.