Patent ID: 8718866

Claim:
A system for controlling an operation of at least one of commanding an occupant communication device and entering data into the occupant communication device that is operably coupled to a vehicle, wherein at least one primary key is configured to be assigned to a primary driver and at least one secondary key is configured to be assigned to a secondary driver, the system comprising: a key ignition device positioned on at least one of the primary key and the secondary key and being configured to transmit at least one driver status signal indicative of whether the driver is one of the primary driver and the secondary driver; and a controller configured to: receive the at least one driver status signal; determine whether the driver of the vehicle is one of the primary and the secondary driver based on the at least one driver status signal; selectively control the operation of the at least one of commanding the occupant communication device and entering data into the occupant communication device based on whether the driver of the vehicle is one of the primary driver and the secondary driver; and allow the driver of the vehicle to perform the operation of the at least one of commanding the occupant communication device and entering data into the occupant communication device with voice input in response to determining that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.