"I was nearly driven mad as it broadcasts commercials and music videos all day," one driver was quoted by Guangzhou-based Nanfang Daily as saying.

"I am not able to turn it off or reduce the volume. It just keeps going."

Shenzhen Taxi Co, a State-owned taxi operator, installed the multi-media players in nearly 30 cabs in late July.

The player, the size of a book, was placed in front of the right front passenger seat. It could not be switched off.

Promotional videos for the taxi company and music videos were played repeatedly, and loudly, as advertisements rotated at the bottom of the screen, said the driver.

"The noise was really beyond endurance. Can you imagine how it was to drive in such an environment?" he asked miserably.

Passengers were also dissatisfied with the new devices.

"I choose taxis because I want a convenient and comfortable trip. If the taxies are all set up with noisy players, it's a nightmare," said an engineer surnamed Chen.

While passengers widely believed the taxi company made money from the new devices, the operator claimed it did not make even a penny by broadcasting the commercials.

"It's a new product that needs further testing in the market," said a manager surnamed Yang at Shenzhen Taxi Co.

She said the company had taken several factors into consideration before installing the devices.

"Firstly, they did not affect the drivers as the devices are placed in front of the passengers.

"Secondly, we can promote our company through the multi-media players.

"Thirdly, there is a camera inside the device that can work with the Global Positioning System (GPS), which can better protect our drivers from harmful behaviour," Yang explained.

The company hoped passengers could enjoy the music and relax, and the drivers would get more traffic information.

The company learned of the complaints from government departments and decided to remove them this week.

(China Daily 08/15/2006 page3)

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