At the 2009 New York auto show, Ford showed off two new features that will keep teenagers safer and help old ladies expedite their parallel parking experience.

The first feature is Active Park, which automatically parallel parks the vehicle using a number of sensors.  In this version, though, the driver still controls the throttle and gear.  Also new to the technology is a ‘search mode’ that actively searches for suitably sized spots while traveling up to 20 miles per hour.  Pass a spot and the Active Park system chimes when there’s a match.

The second feature, which will surely result in a little teenage angst, is MyKey.  Parents, or who ever holds the admin key, can set the max volume of the car’s stereo and speed of the vehicle.  Additionally, the system will disrupt audio playback if the seat belts aren’t engaged.

Active park and MyKey will be available in select Ford vehicles later this year.

Video demos after the ‘leap’

[Cnet]