A system controlled by a data processor for controlling vehicle
operational functions enabled for each of a plurality of vehicle drivers
comprising a combination of means for assigning to each of a group of
drivers a vehicle operation key with a unique identifier, means for
storing these identifiers, means for assigning to each of the group of
drivers a set of operational functions that each driver is enabled to
perform, means for designating a vehicle operation manager and means
enabling this operation manager to modify each of the set of operational
functions assigned to each of the group of drivers. The vehicle has means
for directly receiving one of said vehicle operation keys together with
means responsive to the receiving of the key for enabling all of the
operational functions assigned to the driver who is identified by the key
identifier. In accordance of a further feature of this aspect of the
invention, the vehicle operation manager is one of the plurality of
drivers and the modification of each of the set of operational functions
assigned to each of the plurality of drivers is one of the functions that
the manager is enabled to perform. According to another aspect of this
invention, the manager is enabled to make modifications dynamically
during the operation of the automobile.