Teenagers who have recently passed their driving tests will know the taste of freedom and independence that having a driving licence offers. Borrowing Mum or Dad’s new Ford Fiesta is a prime opportunity to crank the stereo up, practise a handbrake turn or two and show off to your mates a bit.

But not anymore. Ford has announced the European introduction of MyKey, a system that allows owners to programme limitations into their vehicle to stop others taking advantage of it. Limitations include a maximum speed, a setting that ensures a curb on tyre spin cannot be deactivated and a cap on audio volume.

Seatbelt reminders can also be set to sound more regularly and insistently, with the option of radio deactivation until the driver and passengers are strapped in.

Already standard on a lot of US models, MyKey was rolled out in the States following a survey that found that parents of teenagers were in favour of the chance to remotely manage in-car behaviour. Statistically, younger, more inexperienced drivers are more likely to be involved in road accidents, so the system is designed with the intention of reducing motoring incidents.

Peter Patzelt, the Ford designer behind MyKey said, “The more we can do to encourage safe driving and limit distraction the better. With MyKey, parents can set limitations, while still allowing the freedom of driving a car."

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