Hard Wire From Radio To E-Brake?

[BlueOvalFitter]

The new radio my son gave me today for Christmas has a safety feature on it I have never heard of before. It requires a wire to be ran to the emergency brake from the radio so that you can't watch videos as you're driving down the road. I have never heard of such a thing. He is having his cousins Baton Rouge stereo shop install it.
How long has this safety feature been around? This is my 1st radio with a screen that does everything for you. Yeah, I'm somewhat old fashion and never heard of such a feature. I'm sure there are many here that have heard of this feature, right? Can anyone explain to me if I will have to buy anything special for this?
Thank You.

 

[Astro14]

The new radio my son gave me today for Christmas has a safety feature on it I have never heard of before. It requires a wire to be ran to the emergency brake from the radio so that you can't watch videos as you're driving down the road. I have never heard of such a thing. He is having his cousins Baton Rouge stereo shop install it.
How long has this safety feature been around? This is my 1st radio with a screen that does everything for you. Yeah, I'm somewhat old fashion and never heard of such a feature. I'm sure there are many here that have heard of this feature, right? Can anyone explain to me if I will have to buy anything special for this?
Thank You.

I don’t know how long it’s been around, but it’s a common feature for a head unit capable of showing video.

Mrs. Astro’s 2002 Volvo wagon (the XC) is getting an Alpine head unit. I will have to connect it to the parking brake to allow NAV programming, and reverse lights to turn on the back up camera. I looked at a lot of head units in getting this one, and they all had this safety feature.

The connection should be straightforward, a splice into the wires going to the parking brake switch, to read when the switch is closed, and the brake engaged. A stereo shop will be familiar with this. They’ve done a lot of them.

 

[Rand]

you should be able to bypass the emergency brake wiring.

now the reverse lights usually trigger the backup cam so that might be nice to have.

 

[dishdude]

It's been like this for a long time, when the first radios that had DVD players came out they had an e-brake lockout. The installer will just tap into the brake switch with a Scotchloc connector.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Ever since I have been driving, I have only had Alpine head units (with cassettes and CD's). This is my first head unit (BOSS-BE7ACP) that has a screen. I need some schoolin' because I'm old fashion.

 

[JHZR2]

Self control would be better…. Sounds like the makings of a ridiculous wiring rats nest for all that stuff if not done OE….

wonder if it can be wired to fool it. I get it that it’s a safety feature, but crepes…

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Self control would be better…. Sounds like the makings of a ridiculous wiring rats nest for all that stuff if not done OE….

wonder if it can be wired to fool it. I get it that it’s a safety feature, but crepes…

I'm sure my sons' cousins' stereo shop will know about this. They have been doing this stuff for a while (1 shop in Baton Rouge, 3 in New Orleans).

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[skyactiv]

Alpine was the brand to have back when I was in high school. I had a Nakamichi demo unit from Circuit City I put in a 07' WRX I once owned.

Don't defeat it. I will sound rude.

It's a feature to prevent someone like my dad, a retired attorney, representing a client if say the driver wrecked into the client watching TikTok... videos while driving. The radio maker would use the safety feature as a defense and of course the radio maker would wanna do a discovery and see if the radio was properly hooked up or modifed. My dad would go for more than what the policy is if he/she crippled someone.

 

[JHZR2]

I'm sure my sons' cousins' stereo shop will know about this. They have been doing this stuff for a while (1 shop in Baton Rouge, 3 in New Orleans).

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Mobile Tint and Audio is your one stop shop serving the greater New Orleans area. We provide window tint, car audio, Aftermarket lighting, truck accessories, and much more. We have locations in Kenner, Metairie, New Olreans and Baton Rouge that are ready to take care of you.

www.mobiletintandaudio.com

If I were a shop I’d rather make a rats nest under your dash than take liability for bypassing a safety function… soooo…. Looks like they’ll figure it out for you…

 

[Nukeman7]

....wonder if it can be wired to fool it. I get it that it’s a safety feature, but crepes…

To fool it, all you need to do is ground the (pink) wire to the chassis instead of connecting it to the parking brake switch. While it is technically not illegal to do so, it is illegal in most (all?) states to have a video playing where the screen is visible in front of the driver's forward view when the vehicle is in motion on a public thoroughfare.

For the record, I am NOT advocating that anyone do that!

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Alpine was the brand to have back when I was in high school. I had a Nakamichi demo unit from Circuit City I put in a 07' WRX I once owned.

Don't defeat it. I will sound rude.

It's a feature to prevent someone like my dad, a retired attorney, representing a client if say the driver wrecked into the client watching TikTok... videos while driving. The radio maker would use the safety feature as a defense and of course the radio maker would wanna do a discovery and see if the radio was properly hooked up or modifed. My dad would go for more than what the policy is if he/she crippled someone.

This is what's in my truck currently. I have 6X8 KICKERS in all 4 doors, a 10" KICKER sub behind the seat with an Alpine 300-watt mono amp powering the sub.

Alpine CDE-170

CD receiver

www.crutchfield.com

 

[eljefino]

A guy I work with bragged about bribing his installer $50 to "bypass the lockout."

He had no idea how easy this was to do.

 

[JHZR2]

To fool it, all you need to do is ground the (pink) wire to the chassis instead of connecting it to the parking brake switch. While it is technically not illegal to do so, it is illegal in most (all?) states to have a video playing where the screen is visible in front of the driver's forward view when the vehicle is in motion on a public thoroughfare.

For the record, I am NOT advocating that anyone do that!

Of course it’s illegal to be distracted that way… regardless of if on a head unit, or an iPhone.

And it’s pure idiocy to try to watch video while driving. Hands free calls I get, a text at a stoplight I can appreciate the need…

Watching video?!?

OT: which is why it infuriates me that YouTube cant be set to keep playing with the screen off. Sometimes I actually like the music mixes. Sometimes I’ll let the kids stream a song from YouTube over Bluetooth in the car. Woukd like to be able to do the same while driving, without the video….

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

This is what's in my truck currently. I have 6X8 KICKERS in all 4 doors, a 10" KICKER sub behind the seat with an Alpine 300-watt mono amp powering the sub.

Alpine CDE-170

CD receiver

www.crutchfield.com

The upper Alpine unit (CDE-9870) is what I installed in my truck back in 07. The 170 is in there now.
I tried to sell the CDE-9870 after the 170 install and no one wanted to buy it. I then tried giving it away for FREE, and STILL, no one wanted it!
I want my new unit installed CORRECTLY!

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Of course it’s illegal to be distracted that way… regardless of if on a head unit, or an iPhone.

And it’s pure idiocy to try to watch video while driving. Hands free calls I get, a text at a stoplight I can appreciate the need…

Watching video?!?

OT: which is why it infuriates me that YouTube cant be set to keep playing with the screen off. Sometimes I actually like the music mixes. Sometimes I’ll let the kids stream a song from YouTube over Bluetooth in the car. Woukd like to be able to do the same while driving, without the video….

This is what I'm going to be giving up with the new unit install.

 

[fsdork]

...

OT: which is why it infuriates me that YouTube cant be set to keep playing with the screen off. Sometimes I actually like the music mixes. Sometimes I’ll let the kids stream a song from YouTube over Bluetooth in the car. Woukd like to be able to do the same while driving, without the video….

I don't personally subscribe to YouTube Premium, but I understand this is a feature of the paid service - it may be specific to music, I'm not certain. Netflix piloted this on the Android app for a while, and I really liked it as I often play comedy specials while I'm doing something that keeps me from actively watching the screen. It was nice to have the audio while keeping my phone locked and avoiding unnecessary battery depletion.

 

[fsdork]

...
How long has this safety feature been around? This is my 1st radio with a screen that does everything for you. Yeah, I'm somewhat old fashion and never heard of such a feature. I'm sure there are many here that have heard of this feature, right? ...

It's been around since at least the Pioneer AVIC-N1, which came out around 2004.

 

[ctechbob]

A reputable shop won't bypass it for you, but.

I've never done it for a customer, but I've left wires easily tucked to where they can pull them out and connect them if they wish. (IE Run a ground and the safety wire to the same spot tucked behind a panel).

Who am I to tell you what to do with equipment you own after it leaves the shop?

 

[Jetronic]

Of course it’s illegal to be distracted that way… regardless of if on a head unit, or an iPhone.

And it’s pure idiocy to try to watch video while driving. Hands free calls I get, a text at a stoplight I can appreciate the need…

Watching video?!?

OT: which is why it infuriates me that YouTube cant be set to keep playing with the screen off. Sometimes I actually like the music mixes. Sometimes I’ll let the kids stream a song from YouTube over Bluetooth in the car. Woukd like to be able to do the same while driving, without the video….

which radio doesn't allow you to darken the screen?

 

[DuckRyder]

Some of them it is not as simple as just grounding the wire, the head unit looks for the on/off. There are modules available to create that signal. Though as said - i doubt an installer would do it for you. And it isn't just video, most of them won't let you access some menus either.

That radio has overall good reviews on Crutchfield but some android auto complaints and apparently it doesn't have RDS if that matters (Won't display song title and artist.)