NEGATIVE# josephm 197653--SLUG--ME/CARS--DATE-02/02/08-- Bow

NEGATIVE# josephm 197653--SLUG--ME/CARS--DATE-02/02/08-- Bowie, Maryland-PHOTOGRAPHER-MARVIN JOSEPH/TWP-- The Mangrums, pastors of a local Baptist church, estimate they spend up to four hours a day in the car, shuttling between church and school and their kids activities -- soccer for Danielle and dance practice for Diamond. Because of that, they recently bought a high-end mini van--with two DVDs, satellite television and a table in the back that the kids can do their homework-- to "enhance" their time on the road. With such high-tech additions as satellite TV and i-pod docking stations and such low-tech additions as tables and refrigerators, cars are increasingly becoming more like rooms of a home or their own destination point than vehicles to move from place to place. Automakers are responding to the fact that today's familes are spending more and more time in their cars; in the Washington region the average driver spend 100 minutes getting from place to place, a number that will grow. Families are responding to the marketing strategy but some safety experts wonder if all this high tech gadgetry can be a growing distraction for drivers and, like cellphone usage, slow travel times even more. PICTURED, Daniel Mangrum and his daughter Diamond eat a bowl of chili before heading to the Annapolis Mall for shopping. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The The Washington Post via Getty Images)