CTV.ca reports that the in-dash DVD players are going to be a big gift item this year. They sound exciting but they also sound dangerous. The photograph on the right is of the Sanyo ECD-T1780DV In-dash DVD player with 7" video screen. CTV.ca says the in-dash players become popular on Pimp My Ride.
But in-dash DVD players - which play in full view of the driver - are a newer phenomenon that have been made popular by shows like MTV's "Pimp My Ride," where mechanics spruce up old vehicles and install extravagant bells and whistles.
Indeed, in a survey by J.D. Power & Associates of new-car buyers last year, DVD players were favoured by 28 per cent of respondents, up from 16 per cent in 2000.
But these gadgets can drive motorists to distraction and have deadly consequences.
If installed as recommended, DVD players will not work in an automobile unless the emergency brake is on or the vehicle is in park. But owners can defeat the safety measures by installing the devices themselves.
It should be common sense but if you are using a DVD player while driving that's a very bad idea. CD Freaks agrees and discusses how dash boards are being enhanced with an increasing amount of gadgetry.
However, this is just the beginning, as now we have the "cockpits" of our cars adorned with an ever growing plethora of devices that have little to do with safe driving and only serve as dangerous distractions.
CTV.ca 
