Back-seat riders getting the picture

If you're of driving age, you probably recall road trips that included long stretches of boredom, with little to break the tedium other than picking a fight with the sibling next to you.

For better or worse, today's kids may bypass this rite of passage. A growing number of vehicles offer entertainment packages that include DVD players and monitors, either as standard features or options, primarily on family and higher-end cars.

This means the little ones can buckle up, slip on the headphones and watch the latest animated film. Mom and Dad can relax upfront, reasonably sure their kids will be entertained without resorting to poking and staring. "This is a godsend for parents," says Joe Wiesenfelder, car reviewer with www.cars.com in Chicago.

As a result, sales of entertainment systems, including DVD players and monitors, are accelerating.

"The growth is phenomenal," says Sandeep Kar, an automotive industry analyst with consulting firm Frost & Sullivan in Palo Alto, Calif.

About 10 percent of new vehicles in the United States now have the systems installed at the factory level, he says. What's more, demand for DVD players is outstripping that for other entertainment features, such as CD players, he says. Four manufacturers dominate the factory-installed DVD market: Panasonic, Delphi, Johnson Controls and Visteon. Panasonic is the leader. All are considered quality brands.

Between 15 percent and 40 percent of buyers of DaimlerChrysler's sport utilities and mini-vans (the exact number varies by model) purchase DVD systems, says Heather May, a spokeswoman for the firm.

According to information from Edmunds.com, consumers can purchase DVD players and monitors, either as standard or optional features, on about 70 car models. These range from the Acura MDX to the Chevy Suburban to the Volvo XC90.

How they work
Some cars feature DVD screens housed within the dashboard intended primarily for the navigation system. The systems may allow passengers to play a DVD on the dashboard screen, but only when the car is in park. Most DVD screens that are to be used for movies either drop down from the ceiling at some point behind the driver or pop up from a center console. The drop-down screens are gaining popularity, because they don't take up room on the floor, says Wiesenfelder. In addition, passengers in the third row can more easily see them.

However, drop-down screens sometimes interfere with the driver's ability to see out the back of the vehicle. This depends on the height of the driver, his or her seat position and the location of the monitor. "This is something a potential buyer should test before buying the car," says Brian Moody, road test editor with Edmunds.com in Santa Monica, Calif.

A smaller number of models place the screen in the back of one of the front headrests. However, if only one screen is installed, passengers on the other side of the vehicle may have trouble seeing it. As a result, some luxury cars, such as the Lexus, include a screen on each headrest, says Kar. Of course that bumps up the price of the system.

Most in-car DVD monitors range from 6 to 10 inches, when measured diagonally across the screen. Although 7-inch screens are most common, bigger screens are gaining, says Kar. "The seven-inch is slowly getting phased out." In general, only one DVD system is offered on a model, but different models may feature different systems and screen sizes. For instance, the Toyota Highlander has a 6 1/2-inch screen, while the LandCruiser has a 7-inch screen.

Along with size, the quality of the monitors has improved over the past several years, Kar adds. In the 1990s, most screens used CRT (cathode ray tube) technology. Today's screens are either LCD (liquid crystal display) or TFT (thin film transistor). "They are lighter and offer better picture quality," he says.

In-car DVD systems also include passenger headphones, so the driver isn't distracted by the sound of the movie. Wireless models are standard, alleviating the risk that passengers will trip over dangling wires.

Even though the DVD screen is located so that rear seat passengers can see what's playing, the controls usually are located in the front of the car, either in the dashboard or a center console. That way, the adults sitting in the front can control the choice of entertainment.

Some vehicles, such as the 2004 Dodge Durango and 2005 Grand Cherokee, also offer what's known as multimode capability. That means that the DVD system can play the radio, as well as CDs and MP3s.

Many systems also include auxiliary jacks that let passengers plug in and play video games on the DVD system. However, if the car's DVD system doesn't offer this, upgrading typically isn't an option, says Moody of Edmunds.com.

The price tag
The amount that a DVD system will add to the sticker price can range from nothing -- the system is standard equipment included in the car's sticker price -- to somewhere north of $1,000. The rear-seat entertainment systems on the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Ford Explorer, for instance, cost $1,300. The systems on the Toyota Highlander and Tundra are about $1,700. Some systems have higher price tags, as they're part of a larger options package. For instance, the system on the Toyota Land Cruiser runs $3,350, but that includes a navigation system and a back-up camera that allows the driver to see what's behind him or her, as well as the DVD system.

Down the road, car buyers will have even more entertainment options from which to choose. For example, cars will be able to accept and store movies downloaded from a satellite service. "Once you do that, you don't have to carry a wallet of DVDs around," says Moody of Edmunds.com. A handful of 2005 models, including the Saturn Relay and Buick Terazza, already offer this feature, he adds.

Similarly, within several years, cars will be able to connect to mobile satellite television, says Kar. Right now, the antennas that enable this are available only in the after-market.

Safety
Of course, while DVD systems can help keep passengers entertained, drivers still need to focus on the road. As a result, in-car DVD monitors are located so the driver can't see them. As noted earlier, the screens in General Motors cars, for instance, are located behind the shoulder of the driver. "We have to do what's prudent and safe for the driver," says Vince Muniga, a spokesman with GM's Cadillac division.

However, some after-market customization shops disregard these safety measures. Muniga says he's seen people rip out front airbags in order to install DVD systems. Not only is the driver apt to be distracted, he or she no longer will be able to count on an important safety feature. Should the car be involved in an accident, the outcome could be far from entertaining.

-- Posted: Feb. 15, 2005