In-car Touchscreen/dvd Legal?

[w00sh~]

Hey there, My R34 has a JVC 7" touchscreen DVD player in it, which is mounted in the double DIN. Now I know its definately illegal to have a movie playing while driving, but what about just the display modes of radio stations, or when it displays a list of tracks?

There is noway to turn off the screen completely, and obviously the screen is in plain view of me (the driver)

Im probably going to buy the Alpine KCE-425i from the UK for about $450AUD (which is really cool, allows you to control iPod fully and all the menu's displayed through the AV input of your aftermarket monitor) and don't want to buy it if by chance one day I'm pulled over and defected for having the screen on (it would just be displaying like "now playing" or "song lists" etc)and then have to get rid of the screen and adaptor.....

So can any one shed some light on this grey area for me?

By the way I live in QLD if that makes a difference

Thanks

[Randon_I_Am]

GPS screens arn't illegal, and they sit right in front of ya.

i wanna get the new eclipse dub din gps/audio/video surely not illegal

[w00sh~]

i found this which relates to NSW laws, QLD may have something similar.

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parl...y/LC20041207064

Its such a grey area.

I mean

playing DVD = Lit up 7" Screen

Just on "Now Playing" display = Lit up 7" Screen

[89CAL]

mine has the wire to run to your handbrake so some functions will only work when the handbrake is on/up

i think it blocked out dvd's obviously and video on ipod. But normal ipod and radio functionality was normal. dont have any offical documents to quote but i think as long as its not displaying video its ok. I have a button to turn my screen off so i just hit that if I get pulled over just in case

[-Stokesy-]

It's not illegal to have a screen, provided it is wired into the handbrake. If your unit doesn't have the handbrake ground wire, or it has been installed such that it is bypassed then this is illegal.

[na beast]

Exactly what Stokesy said

[Keeper]

they new audi S5 has a display that lists radio stations, in face so do most new european cars, and maybe even the new GTR?

if its okay for them to display radio station info, shouldnt be a problem for you

[dstrukt91]

if it comes stock wouldnt it be legal then

[-Stokesy-]

if it comes stock wouldnt it be legal then

If it is an Australian delivered car then yes. If you imported it then it depends on the laws in that country, I have no idea what the laws are regarding this in Japan.

[Houdini]

if it's got GPS then fine but units with no gps need to be blacked out if visible to the driver. If it's a touchscreen to control the radio etc then it'sok but video etc can't work while driving. The newer GPS units need to have a DVD of the maps in to work so you can't play a DVD while driving as the gps disk is in. The law references the ADR's and states:

the VDU (visual display unit) cannot be visible to the driver unless it is, or is part of, a GPS system.