Tom finally has the family car keys in his pocket. He has waited a long time for this moment, having suffered through driver education and envied his older friends who already have their own cars. Tom's first solo drive won't be quite as exciting as he would like, however. His new set of keys are more than a ticket to ride; they are microcontroller-enabled smart keys linked to Ford Motors' MyKey driver control system, with safety features designed to keep Tom within limits.

The MyKey system allows Tom's parents to set the maximum speed that he can drive their Ford Focus: when he puts the key in the ignition the car reads his personalized driving profile and sets its controls accordingly. To help ensure that Tom keeps his eye on the speedometer and his foot off the gas pedal, a reminder chime will sound when the car reaches preset speed levels of 45, 55, and 65 miles per hour (MPH). The system takes control even before Tom leaves the driveway, enforcing his use of seat belts by sounding a recurring reminder chime and keeping the audio system muted until the driver's belt is buckled.

Tom isn't exactly happy with all these limits on his independent driving. But the alternative would be much worse – waiting until after high school graduation before getting access to the family car.