Teen Driver Tech


There’s a cool tech and safety feature that’s often overlooked when it comes to buying a new or used car. On GM vehicles, including most Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMCs sold in North America, the feature is called Teen Driver Mode. On Ford vehicles, it’s called MyKey. 


The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse has Teen Driver Mode as a standard feature -
RS trim show. Photo by Brian Moody 



They do essentially the same thing but slightly differently. They both use the key fob, which you can program so that one is like an admin key and the other is the programmed “copy key.” When you program your teen driver key fob in a GM vehicle like the Chevy Traverse, Chevy Trax, or Buick Envista, it does these things:


  • Limits the vehicle's top speed to 85 mph. 
  • Disables the radio, including connected devices, until the front seatbelts are buckled. 
  • Automatically turns on the headlights when you shift out of park, no matter what time of day it is.
  • Customizable speed warning: for example, if you know your kid only takes surface streets to work or school, you can set a 50 mph warning so that anytime the car goes over 50 mph, a chime goes off, and there are different customizable speed intervals for that. 
  • A driver's report card on the touchscreen of the car, so you can check later and see how the car was driven. And yes, I know what you’re thinking, but… This report card is PIN-protected, so only the person with the PIN can access it, modify it, or view it.

2014 Ford Mustang MyKey screen - Photo courtesy Ford Motor Company


Ford’s MyKey is similar


MyKey also works by programming a key fob


MyKey differs from the GM feature in that the admin key user can set the vehicle's top speed (65, 70, 75, or 80 mph) with visual and audible warnings.


Other features are very similar; they include:


  • Car Radio volume limited to 45% capacity to reduce distractions
  • Seat Belt-minder mutes audio until seat belts are fastened
  • Do Not Disturb Mode: Sends all calls to voicemail. Holds texts until the car is parked.
  • Low-fuel warning - earlier low-fuel warnings give teens more time to find a gas station. 
  • Always-On Safety Features: Parents can require active traction control, collision warnings, and parking aids
This last feature is probably the biggest difference between the two systems. 

New and Used


All 2026 Buick vehicles in North America have Teen Driver Mode. Most Chevrolet's have it too. If you know you'll share your new car with a young driver, at least some of the time, it's a worthwhile feature. 

But this isn't limited to new cars - many used vehicles have Teen Driver Mode. In 2016, the feature was first available on the redesigned 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. It has since become a standard feature on many Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC vehicles. If you're shopping for a 10-year-old or newer used car, look to see that the specific model you want has Teen Driver Mode. 

MyKey has been around a little longer, making its debut on the 2010 Ford Focus.

-Brian Moody


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