GOVERNMENT KEEPING AN EYE ON VIDEO MONITORS IN CARS.Byline: Amy Raisin Darvish Staff Writer SAUGUS - With new auto gadgets seeming to hit the market every few weeks, there are more gadgets than ever that can potentially distract drivers from what should be their first priority - the road. Video monitors in vehicles are becoming a more common sight in recent months, especially considering the popularity of vehicle makeover shows such as MTV's ``Pimp My Ride Pimp My Ride is a TV show produced by MTV. Each episode consists of taking one car in poor condition and restoring it, as well as customizing it. The original American version is hosted by rapper Xzibit. .'' Doug Bernards, vice president of Soundman sound·man n. One in charge of recording, transmitting, or amplifying sound or of producing sound effects, as for a television or radio broadcast. Noun 1. Car and Audio on Soledad Canyon Soledad Canyon is a long narrow canyon / valley located in Los Angeles County, California between the cities of Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Soledad Canyon contains the localities of Vincent, Acton, Ravenna, and Agua Dulce. Road in Saugus, said in-car TV monitors and DVD players are equivalent to what bass-heavy stereo systems were a decade ago. ``In the last three years or so, it's been getting really popular to have screens and DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. (players) in cars,'' Bernards said. ``Kids used to come in for the stereos, but now it's all about the screens.'' It is illegal in California, however, to have a video screen - with the exception of a navigation system A GPS-based electronic system in a car or truck that provides a real time map of the vehicle's current location as well as step-by-step directions to a programmed destination. See GPS and vehicle tracking. - playing within the driver's view while the vehicle is in motion. According to the state vehicle code, ``A person may not drive a motor vehicle if a television receiver, a video monitor ... or video signal that produces entertainment or business applications, is operating and is located in the motor vehicle at any point forward of the back of the driver's seat.'' Despite the efforts of companies that manufacture monitors designed for vehicle installation - Pioneer and Alpine, for example, designed monitors that will not operate unless the car's emergency brake is set - Bernards said it is possible to manipulate the factory settings. ``If someone knows how to do it, yeah, there are ways around anything,'' he said. In what was perhaps a glimpse at what's to come in terms of cracking down on such driver distractions, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, often pronounced "nit-suh") is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government, part of the Department of Transportation. two weeks ago imposed a $16,000 fine on Inglewood-based West Coast Customs West Coast Customs is a car remodeling company owned by Ryan Friedlinghaus. It was located in Los Angeles but moved to Corona, California. New shops will be opening soon in Dubai, Russia, Malaysia and Germany. , the auto specialty shop often featured in the cable TV hit ``Pimp My Ride.'' West Coast Customs and a New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of customs shop were fined for removing air bags to make room for gadgets such as TV monitors. Amy Raisin Darvish, (661) 257-5254 amy.raisin(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Doug Bernards of Soundman Car and Audio in Saugus watches an in-dashboard DVD player, which can be run only when the car's emergency brake is in place. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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