• Detroit Free-Press , Tuesday, October 7, 2008 10:46 AM

I happen to be of the opinion that it's nuts let a kid drive a new car, so whoever can figure out a way to retrofit an innovation that Ford announced Monday will have my gratitude. The MyKey, which will debut next year as standard equipment on the 2010 Focus, aims to help watch over new drivers as would a parent.

Among other things, MyKey limits the vehicle's top speed and audio volume, provides early warnings about low fuel, and mutes the radio until the teenager buckles up. But it doesn't, as far as I can tell, yell things like, "you know that other car had the right of way!"

Speaking of Ford and innovation, the movie "Flash of Genius," which opened last weekend, is garnering good ratings at the Rotten Tomatoes web site, though it brought in a mere $2.3 million to "Beverly Hills Chihuahua"'s (42%) $29 million at the box office. Starring Greg Kinnear, the movie tells the tale of Robert Kearns, a college professor who invented the intermittent windshield wiper only to have Ford deny his patent. At great sacrifice to his personal life, Kearns eventually won his court case.

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