Stream your slop while you drive.

The rise of in-car streaming entertainment has a new frontier: watching video content while driving. And despite the obvious safety concerns, automakers and tech companies are racing to make it happen.

Several major automakers now offer or are developing systems that allow passengers — and, controversially, in some configurations, drivers — to stream video content on dashboard screens. The technology uses geofencing and speed detection to theoretically prevent video playback while the vehicle is in motion, but testing by consumer safety groups has found that these safeguards can be easily bypassed.

The appeal is obvious for passengers on long road trips. But the safety implications for drivers are severe. Distracted driving already accounts for approximately 3,000 deaths per year in the United States, and adding video content to the dashboard environment represents a significant increase in the cognitive load on a driver who should be focused on the road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued guidance recommending against video displays that are visible to drivers while the vehicle is in motion, but the guidance is not legally binding, and automakers are operating in a regulatory gray area that allows them to push the boundaries of in-car entertainment.

The industry's argument is that autonomous driving technology will eventually make the safety concerns moot. But full autonomy remains years away, and in the interim, humans are still responsible for operating two-ton machines at highway speeds.

What This Means For You: If your next car has a streaming-capable infotainment system, the safest setting is to disable video playback entirely while the vehicle is in motion. The convenience of watching a show at a red light is not worth the risk of missing that light turning green — or the pedestrian stepping into the crosswalk. The tech is here. Your judgment about when to use it is what keeps you and others safe.