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Peace of Mind for Parents with Addition of MyKey® Feature As Standard on All-New Mondeo (455)

Ford's global MyKey® technology will be available on the all-new Ford Mondeo when it goes on sale in May.

The MyKey system forms a part of the new Mondeo’s extensive safety and driver assist features, which also includes Ford's Intelligent Protection System with seven airbags.

MyKey is an industry-first technology that allows parents to program a key that limits top speed, reduce maximum radio volume, disables the radio until the seatbelts are fastened and prevents deactivation of the driver assistance and safety technologies.

It works by recognising different keys for the same car and adjusting the vehicle settings according to the owner's requirements.

Owners are able to set the system so:

• The audio system is disabled completely if seatbelts are not used
• Chimes sound at set points between 70 km/h and 140 km/h to highlight when the vehicle is travelling at higher speeds
• Seatbelt reminders do not time out
• In addition to the typical low-fuel warnings, an earlier low-fuel warning is delivered at 120 km; that aims to reduce the likelihood the driver will run out of fuel
• Safety technologies such as Dynamic Stability Control cannot be deactivated

"This is a significant feature for young drivers and a very important one from the parents’ point of view," according to David Katic, Ford General Manager Marketing.

"With MyKey, this technology provides some direct parental control over their car. It allows owners to set sensible restrictions for young drivers and for parents there is peace-of-mind when their children use their car."

Considerable research has been undertaken into young driver habits in Australia and figures show that they are over-represented in road accident fatality and injury statistics. Transport accidents account for more injury-related deaths than any other cause with seatbelt usage among younger drivers less common.

Young drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 years old represent a quarter of all Australian road deaths but are only 10 to 15 per cent of the licensed driver population.

Significantly, the biggest killer of young drivers is speed, and around 80 per cent of those killed are male.

MyKey is already available on the Fiesta, Fiesta ST, and Focus ST. MyKey will also be available on the all-new Mustang Fastback and Convertible when it arrives later this year.

Read more on all the technology inclusions in the all new Mondeo