Having an auxiliary jack in a car, such as our long-term 2007 Toyota Camry, and an MP3 player is fab. It's all the songs you like, all the time. (Erm, until you get tired of them, that is.)
But I have to admit that, after fiddling with my iPod while driving on a couple of occasions, I've thought to myself: "This is pretty distracting from a driving standpoint." According a NHTSA study published last year about driver distraction, "...nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event."
Is an iPod any worse than a cellphone, an in-dash radio, a backseat full of feuding children or the consumption a Taco Bell bean burrito? In some ways, I think it is...
Like most of us here at Edmunds.com and Inside Line, I'm not a fan of laws that assume all drivers are morons. But as more cars come standard with auxiliary connections, MP3 player usage and safety is going to become an even bigger issue.
Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor, Edmunds.com
esoterica says:
04:04 PM, 05/16/07
This is why more carmakers should follow Volvo's and BMW's leads and provide iPod dock connector attachments for the car stereos that allow the iPod to be controlled by the head unit/steering wheel audio controls. Volvo somewhat miraculously even managed to retrofit their iPod adapter to most of their cars going all the way back to 2001 (years before iPods with dock connectors existed).
Added advantages to this setup are that you can just toss the iPod in the center console (Volvo) or glove box (BMW) without any cords strewn around the car; that the iPod will automatically be charged when the car is on, and that the iPod is automatically paused when the car is switched off and resumes at the same playback position when the car is started again.
And for what it's worth, I think such a system where you can add your entire music collection to your car by snapping one cable in is far superior to the earlier-mentioned G35's (and I believe new Chrysler Sebring's) method of ripping CDs to an internal, non-upgradable hard disk.
I do know that other automakers either have or are working on more comprehensive iPod integration other than just the Aux connector, but BMW and Volvo were the first and the only ones with which I'm familiar with how they work. YMMV.
jriz says:
04:05 PM, 05/16/07
I completely agree. If cell phones are banned, it only makes logical sense that iPods and mp3 players should go the same way. Luckily, there are systems like those found in the 2008 Scion xB and xD that easily provide clear head unit controls for iPod -- especially with the optional nav system's touchscreen. Then again, my Samsung Helix would be SOL.
-James Riswick
P.S. Brent, what about taking photos whilst iPoding and driving? That's sounds even worse.
SubyTrojan says:
05:20 PM, 05/16/07
LOL, James! n Brent's defense, the speedometer is at zero. :o)
boxermike says:
05:35 PM, 05/16/07
Honestly, if it's not one thing it's another. I'm sure the first in-car gramophone was met with cries of "My word", "soundrel", and "well I never!" Over time, people adjusted to the distractions music cause-- We're certainly better off scanning iPods than changing 45s.
We don't need fewer distractions (well, we do, but it's not going to happen), we need to be better at managing distractions and calculating our risks.
drunkenpanda says:
05:46 PM, 05/16/07
What about the people with no ipod? I added an AUX port on my 04 Camry and connect it with a 120GB Creative Zen Xtra. It has real tactile buttons so I can do most things with out even looking at it. It turns on and off with the car, so it lives in the cup holder compartment.
alpha01 says:
07:25 AM, 05/17/07
Interior ambient lighting looks pretty cool in that pic. I still wish Toyota would give a separate dimmer for the instrumentation and center stack, but I like the bluish lighting....
Much more style than last generation, or the utterly forgetable/indistinguishable Gen 4. (which used horrid swamp green lighting for the tach, speedo, etc...)
mustangptm says:
09:14 AM, 05/17/07
The new FordSync should help with this problem because there is no need to even look at your iPod or take your eyes off the road. You can control it through voice or the steering wheel controls and just speak the exact song you wish to hear.
Once it come out in the Fords, other automakers will most likely come out with their copy of it and iPods will be more connected to the car than ever.
Until then there is the ipod2car
http://www.theistore.com/ipod2car.html
greenpony says:
10:16 AM, 05/17/07
Maybe I'm just old-fashioned... but I burn mp3 CDs and use them in my mp3 CD player. If I get bored with that I just listen to the radio (gasp!) No iPod for me.
jriz says:
10:59 AM, 05/17/07
As I discovered a while back, you cannot burn iTunes files onto an mp3 CD. I was about to embark in our Hyundai Azera with no AUX jack or Satellite radio, and thought I'd try out the mp3 player. No such luck.
mirth says:
11:14 AM, 05/17/07
Yeah, I'm looking forward to the Sync system:
www.syncmyride.com
dragonzsoul says:
12:25 PM, 05/17/07
I have to deal with this too. I try not to look at the iPod too much while driving. Most of the time, it just sits in the middle, and I skip the songs I don't like
z479 says:
03:19 PM, 05/17/07
I have a camry just like the one Edmunds has and when I hook up my iPod, it seems that when it plays its not even throughout all the speakers. Everytime I use it I have to adjust the speakers side to side and front to back, and it still doesnt sound the best like my cd's. If anyone knows how to resolve this or what the problem could be, please post it here or email me zeid479@hotmail.com
2002blksle says:
03:35 PM, 05/17/07
Z479-
You have to hit the Tune/File button and adjust your bass, trebble, and mid range settings. The new JBLs allow you to change these settings for each mode (FM/CD/MP3,etc).
If that still doesn't work, try a new cable (or wiggle the cable at the connections to see if it is not making good contact or is defective). If that doesn't work.. go to the dealer. My Ipod sounds just as good (if not better) then in CD mode. Having ownded Bose and Infinity systems in previous cars.. I must say this JBL is very impressive. Hopefully you can figure it out and start enjoying it.
jriz says:
04:03 PM, 05/17/07
I also had that problem once, but it turned out to be the cable.
z479 says:
07:53 PM, 05/17/07
Thanks guys, I hope it is the cable. I'll head over to radio shack tomorrow and buy a new one. If that doesn't solve it could it probably be the AUX input inside the camry? I also don't have the JBL, its the regular system.
tryan says:
01:55 PM, 05/18/07
As someone stated earlier, we don't necessarilly need to have fewer distractions, the population as a whole just needs to become more responsible and use common sense. We've degraded into a blameless society where we don't take ownership of our own inane actions....it's almost disgusting.
If we keep making outlawing use of personal items in our our personal vehicles, then by that logic we should also outlaw drinking (non alcoholic of course), eating and smoking. After all, those present significant distractions, especially if you spill that nice hot coffee (yes, coffee is supposed to be hot, Ms. McDonald's lawsuit) into your lap! The best (or worst) I've seen yet are people who drive with pets in their laps - I guess emergency maneuvers aren't on those drivers' plans, are they?
coolrider says:
01:08 PM, 05/22/07
I am considering a 2007 Camry Hybrid to replace my Liberty CRD. Comments or experience with this model would be appreciated. Fuel @ 3.40 per and doing something for the enviroment makes it look better to me. Do not even start with the fuel sipping 4 banger cost issue because a no guts engine is not in my future where I have to run the A/C 11 1/2 months a year in Fla. Claimed mpg is 40 hwy, 38 city or vice versa. Maybe I have performance issues leftover from the big block days.