Coming soon to a vehicle near you.

This is a new product developed by Ford Motor Co., called MyKey. Starting next year, Ford Motor Company will roll out a new feature, controlled by a computer chip in the key, that allows parents to limit the car's speeds to 80 mph and set a maximum volume for the audio system and to sound continuous alerts if the driver doesn't wear a seat belt on some 2010 models.

Parents also have the option of having the car sound a chime if the teen exceeds 45, 55 or 65 mph. The feature will debut on the 2010 Focus compact car and quickly move to other company models as a standard feature, the company said.

Parents? Maybe they should sell the thing to some kids who might want to slow their parents down a little. I hate to come off sounding like a control freak, but maybe this is an idea whose time has come for everybody, not just kids. After all, if the speed limit is 55 or 65, 80 should be plenty. I'm guessing it's just a matter of time before Washington lawmakers get their fingers around this little gadget.

To help drivers stay safe when they're using cruise control, Ford developed Adaptive Cruise Control. This intelligent cruise control uses forward-looking radar to adjust your speed and maintain a driver-selected distance from the vehicle ahead in the same lane.
If the lead vehicle slows down, or if another object is detected, the system sends a signal to the engine or braking system to decelerate. When the road is clear, the system will re-accelerate the vehicle back to the set speed for safe driving.

The big mistake they're making here is using the term "driver-selected distance". I'm guessing a lot of drivers will select 3 feet. How hard would it be to let the cruise control select the safe following distance based on the car's speed? Not too hard. This is the type of thing that should be standard equipment on all vehicles, not just high-end models and not only when the cruise control is on. It should be on when you turn the key.

While they're at it, make it so the steering wheel won't turn until the turn signal is on, a horn that doesn't blow before 7am or after midnight and a cigarette butt deflector that automatically returns disgarded cigs back to the driver.

We need less junk in the car. Give drivers fewer reasons to do something besides drive. We already have laws restricting cell phone use (a rumor I understand is actually law) and others centered around "distracted driving," so why encourage people? It's enough already with the high-tech music gadgets and DVD players. Watch TV at home. When you're in your car, drive.

If they really wanted to discourage drunk driving it would be mandatory to equip cars with a device that would prohibit one from driving if one were intoxicated. But they don't really want to discourage you because that would mean that your auto insurance premiums would come down and we don't want that.

Put some sort of lining around the interior of the car that would keep the damned cell phone from working while you're inside the car. If you want to make a call, do what our ancestors did - get out of the fucking car.

That's a better idea.