Ford Adds Mobile Phone Blocking to My Key

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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May 9, 2000
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Ford is claiming an industry first adding features to their My Key system. Parents can set My Key to block all cell phone calls and text messages for their kids while driving. Other features will be added to the system such as stereo levels and car speed in the future.

"MyKey can give parents peace of mind when they hand the keys over to their kids”
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There's a (free?) android app that does this, forget the name...

It's made for parents and all that, to promote safety for your kids with their smartphones.... kid GPS locatoin, turns off texting while driving/traveling at high speeds, no porno on the phone, etc
 
from what I can tell, this isn't blocking the signal using a cell signal blocker, it pairs to bluetooth and holds all calls and messages. I think any kids today is smart enough to just turn bluetooth off.
 
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.whomemobile.android.mkt.sms1lite

Another cheap ass $3 technology these new car dealers are trying to bait stupid gullible people with the cheapest crap they can implement. Its like the mp3 jack gimmick they used in 2008ish lol.. I put one in my 20 year old beater for not even $25, and my junker was "up to date" with modern car audio lol.

They are going to make a commercial JUST FOR THIS, watch.....

Remember the old one.... OMG, Check out the all new 2008 Ford Focus, with 35MPG and an ALL NEW mp3 jack!" --- that was the entire commercial! :rolleyes: sigh
 
Ryan711 said:
from what I can tell, this isn't blocking the signal using a cell signal blocker, it pairs to bluetooth and holds all calls and messages. I think any kids today is smart enough to just turn bluetooth off.
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And if MyKey doesn't pair with the phone, the car won't start.
 
Kenworth said:
And if MyKey doesn't pair with the phone, the car won't start.
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So if your kids phone runs out of battery/gets lost/they forget it somewhere/breaks they can't start the car? Sounds like a great idea.
 
Yeah, I knew not being able to edit my post was going to come back to me :eek: I meant to put a question mark after that.
 
Greene420 said:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.whomemobile.android.mkt.sms1lite

Another cheap ass $3 technology these new car dealers are trying to bait stupid gullible people with the cheapest crap they can implement. Its like the mp3 jack gimmick they used in 2008ish lol.. I put one in my 20 year old beater for not even $25, and my junker was "up to date" with modern car audio lol.

They are going to make a commercial JUST FOR THIS, watch.....

Remember the old one.... OMG, Check out the all new 2008 Ford Focus, with 35MPG and an ALL NEW mp3 jack!" --- that was the entire commercial! :rolleyes: sigh
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My 2006 Ion has an aux/MP3 jack. Ford was behind even then.
 
lol I think my dad uses his phone while driving more than I do. He only uses it when he's stopped at a traffic signal, but still.
 
Is there really a niche for this? I mean, kids 16 to 18 driving around on their own in a brand new Ford is probably a small market to begin with. I know if I had a brand new car I wouldn't be letting anyone drive it, let alone an inexperienced driver.
 
Not as small as you'd think. I worked and saved as a teen and when it was time to buy a car, paid for a brand new one myself. Although it was a Chevy and not a Ford.
 
Kenworth said:
And if MyKey doesn't pair with the phone, the car won't start.
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So pair with the car, start the car, turn off bluetooth.

I'm sure they wouldn't engineer the car's engine to stop if it lost a bluetooth connection, that's much more dangerous than talking on the phone while driving.
 
I was thinking this technology would soon be applied to speed zones. All cars within a speed zone will no longer have the ability to exceed it.
 
014 said:
I was thinking this technology would soon be applied to speed zones. All cars within a speed zone will no longer have the ability to exceed it.
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The thought of having to drive 65 on the freeway makes me shudder..
 
014 said:
I was thinking this technology would soon be applied to speed zones. All cars within a speed zone will no longer have the ability to exceed it.
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It'll never happen. Cities enforce speed zones purely for profit. Anything that automatically enforced the speed zone would hurt their pocket book and they can't have that.

Hell, I still contest that people doing 45 in a 65 are more dangerous (other cars swerving to go around at a slower speed to a faster lane of traffic, etc).
 
unrlmth said:
So if your kids phone runs out of battery/gets lost/they forget it somewhere/breaks they can't start the car? Sounds like a great idea.
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s

Yes but think of all the horror movie plot applications for stranded teenagers...
 
Spidey329 said:
Hell, I still contest that people doing 45 in a 65 are more dangerous (other cars swerving to go around at a slower speed to a faster lane of traffic, etc).
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I can't count the number of times I've merged onto a freeway only to find myself braking hard because the idiot in front of me is too scared to go faster than 45mph while merging.
 
NKDietrich said:
Is there really a niche for this? I mean, kids 16 to 18 driving around on their own in a brand new Ford is probably a small market to begin with. I know if I had a brand new car I wouldn't be letting anyone drive it, let alone an inexperienced driver.
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This is why i only support giving kids the most dangerous POS beater possible, because if they think that car is gonna kill them, they are gonna be some cautious ass drivers.
 
If i was a kid I would use this on my parents car...

in fact when I was a KId I was in charge of the PC , TV and anything eleectronic since my parents are to old to know how to use them, So I used the parental controls and security features against them and they had no clue it was awsome..

In fact I still do it to this day to keep them from braking there PC's while I am gone So I don't have to fix it.

You want to get around the parental lockouts hack it or install linux or use the parental controls against your parents problems solved
 
what confuses me about this is that it defeats the purpose of the great features built into microsoft sync in ford vehicles that allow the system to let you answer calls hands free, it will read you text messages. even let you pick responses to text without taking your eyes off the road for a second.

i dont get it.
 
SLiGuy said:
I can't count the number of times I've merged onto a freeway only to find myself braking hard because the idiot in front of me is too scared to go faster than 45mph while merging.
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I agree with you.

People who are affraid to press on the gass and are comfortable merging with traffic at 45mph while everyone else is going 75mph pisses me the fuck off.
 
DyNamiC. said:
So if the kid takes the car on a road trip and looses their phone I guess they just don't get to come home, right? :rolleyes:
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Not much different then losing your keys. Did you have a point or are you just typing without thinking?
 
Spidey329 said:
It'll never happen. Cities enforce speed zones purely for profit. Anything that automatically enforced the speed zone would hurt their pocket book and they can't have that.

Hell, I still contest that people doing 45 in a 65 are more dangerous (other cars swerving to go around at a slower speed to a faster lane of traffic, etc).
Click to expand...


That is false logic. A car going 45 in a 65 (legally) is not more dangerous. The other cars should be aware of all conditions on the road and adjust accordingly. If other people are swerving/changing lanes etc, thats THEIR idiocy. You might want to re-evaluate your logic process, because your reply is a bit sociopathic.
 
SLiGuy said:
I can't count the number of times I've merged onto a freeway only to find myself braking hard because the idiot in front of me is too scared to go faster than 45mph while merging.
Click to expand...

I agree. >.> Merging behind a Prius is one of the worst experiences there is on a highway. You feel close to an accident at all times.
 
Soooooo, the kid is being chased down the road by some idiot with a ton of road rage and they can't call for help. Good.........good.
 
unrlmth said:
So if your kids phone runs out of battery/gets lost/they forget it somewhere/breaks they can't start the car? Sounds like a great idea.
Click to expand...

No different than losing a set of keys, and if the battery dies I am sure the car would have a charger. Tbh I would prefer my phone to be my keys to my car, I lose it much less often than I do keys.
 
That is false logic. A car going 45 in a 65 (legally) is not more dangerous. The other cars should be aware of all conditions on the road and adjust accordingly. If other people are swerving/changing lanes etc, thats THEIR idiocy. You might want to re-evaluate your logic process, because your reply is a bit sociopathic.
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Depends on what your definition of is, is, I suppose. I can't speak for the rest of the country, but it's mentioned in the DMV handbook in CA that going slower than traffic is a) illegal/ticketable and b) dangerous. Unless it's wet, icy, foggy, etc, there's absolutely no reason to be going 20mph under the limit. Appropriate speed for the situation works BOTH ways. In fact, here in CA, the minimum speed law even states that "they" can set a minimum speed limit, although I can't say I've ever seen such a sign anywhere in the state.

DMV.ca.gov said:
22400. (a) No person shall drive upon a highway at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, unless the reduced speed is necessary for safe operation, because of a grade, or in compliance with law.

No person shall bring a vehicle to a complete stop upon a highway so as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic unless the stop is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

(b) Whenever the Department of Transportation determines on the basis of an engineering and traffic survey that slow speeds on any part of a state highway consistently impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the department may determine and declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall drive a vehicle, except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law, when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected along the part of the highway for which a minimum speed limit is established.

Subdivision (b) of this section shall apply only to vehicles subject to registration.
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"Yes, hello, police? I need help. There's a car driving beside me, and a man in the passenger seat has a knife and is leering at me. When I try to let them pass, they slow down as well. It's a red and white older Chevy pickup, and we're on... Oh wait, police? Right... *facepalm* I forgot my parents didn't want me to call and drive. Well, I suppose I'd better just stop at the nearest dark alley and take my rape like a good kid..."
 
Spire3660 said:
That is false logic. A car going 45 in a 65 (legally) is not more dangerous. The other cars should be aware of all conditions on the road and adjust accordingly. If other people are swerving/changing lanes etc, thats THEIR idiocy. You might want to re-evaluate your logic process, because your reply is a bit sociopathic.
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I don't think you understand the scenario.

If a car is going 45 on the freeway when just about EVERYONE else is going 65 then yes, that car is dangerous and a hazard to other drivers. Do you honestly expect everyone else to slow down just for that one car? On the freeway (hell, on any road, really), you have to go with the flow of traffic. If you're going 85 when everyone is going 65, that's pretty dangerous too, but so is going 45. If you're not traveling at a speed that is close to what everyone else is traveling at (and 20mph slower is not close at all) then you probably do not belong on the freeway.
 
While it's true that this can be done with apps I support this type of thing, with some alterations of course. I don't know how many times I've seen people driving crazy and to see they are on a phone, either in a heated call or texting.

Here is my propsed alterations. First off you have to allow calls to 911 while the car is moving. I've actually called 911 once to report a driver who was crossing 2 lanes of traffic unintended later in the evening. Luckily there weren't many cars around. It was a definate hazard. I'm not saying the guy was drunk, he could have been very tired or diabetic with an extreme blood sugar or under other meds etc... But the cops did stop him and hopefully took appropriate action for the situation.
Second allow the car to start and make calls when the car is stopped. They could tie into the speedometer.
Third, have an in dash or message center message that alerts you to an incoming text or call and display the caller ID info. Also there should be a code the parents know when they call they can bypass the call block. this can be used in case of emergencies.
Fourth. Allow a lower level of security that allows the car to play messages. also allow for text to voice and voice to text etc... all of this controlled through a voice command. I think sync has a feature similar to this now.

Just throwing out some ideas. I don't think this is a bad idea, but it really needs to be done right. If it's not nobody will use it and it's just an added cost and complexity to the electronics.
 
How does Ford plan on implementing that in Canada? Cell phone jammers / blockers are illegal in Canada.
 
Draax said:
How does Ford plan on implementing that in Canada? Cell phone jammers / blockers are illegal in Canada.
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Where does the article talk about phone jammers? I believe the technology works by pairing with your phone, then blocking incoming calls via software.
 
Clearly the biggest threat facing teenage drivers today are the bands of road-raging-rapists, not being distracted at the wheel.
 
Hey parents make sure you give your inexperienced teen driver all the tools necessary to avoid being run off the road into a back alley and raped; They'll require an unlocked cell phone with GPS navigation and a hand gun so they can take pot shots at their attackers while they're swerving through traffic.
 
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