The message appears on your android headunit screen when you press the youtube icon.
Youtube
Your android headunit is just like any other android device and in that one of its key features is the ability to play videos. YouTube is the app that unlocks your access to the worlds largest store of videos. Playing video, even just for the sound is one of the many uses that an android headunit is installed for.
Don’t drive and watch videos
Seems like good advice. The message could conjure-up thoughts of eyes glued to the screen while hurtling along the freeway or zipping down the autobahn at triple digit speeds. Or maybe just someone immersed in the latest tiktok craze while driving through town. There are may times you should not watch youtube videos while driving, some countries even have laws to help guide you.
But I wasn’t driving
But what if you are not driving? What if you were just parked up and you still get the message ‘DO NOT WATCH VIDEOS WHILE DRIVING’ on your android headunit screen when you tap youtube?
Over Thinking
The android headunit doesn’t know you or if you are the driver or if you are driving. What it can detect is the the handbrake/emergency brake activation or for CAN-BUS custom fit android headunits it can see ECU CAN BUS signals for driving and brake. But all this clever connection to the car can just bee too much and it stops you from watching a video in the car.
The Solution
A quick check is to look in the settings, even the secret code protected, extra settings. Do’t panic, we have the android headunit secret codes here. Look for ‘Settings — Video — Disable Video While Driving’ and toggle the option. This should allow you to use the youtube app when the ignition is on or the emergency brake is off and the ‘DO NOT WATCH VIDEOS WHILE DRIVING’ message is banished for good.
If your quick check doesn’t show up the option for ‘Disable Video While Driving’ or some similar text in the menus, then your android headunit may not have this override.
The next check is to ensure the android headunit is wired-up to the car correctly. It is the electrical connection to the handbrake – or emergency brake that signals to the android headunit. It is possible to disconnect the wire from your android headunit that connects to the electrical brake signal and instead, connect it to earth. This will signal to the android headunit that the brake is active, even if it is not. This can bypass the message ‘DO NOT WATCH VIDEOS WHILE DRIVING’ because the android headunit thinks you are permanently parked.
You may need to contact your installer for help, but it may also be down to you.
Happy youtubing
Disclaimer
It has to be said ‘DO NOT WATCH VIDEOS WHILE DRIVING’ . We do not condone dangerous or careless driving and we reiterate the message ‘DO NOT WATCH VIDEOS WHILE DRIVING’, use these tips for good.
