A new study shows how bad touchscreen-centric car controls are for road safety

In the last decade or so, screens have become an inseparable part of modern-day vehicles, but at some point, the pendulum has swung a bit too far. Nowadays, drivers are complaining about complicated UI and touch controls to perform simple tasks like adjusting the AC or even changing the radio station. And according to a study conducted by Vi Bilägare, it's not just the drivers. The data shows that screen distractions in a car are becoming worse.

The first study was carried out in 2022 and found that drivers spend a surprising amount of time interacting with the screen while driving. The testing scenario required drivers to adjust the AC settings, change radio stations and alter the display brightness while moving at highway speeds on a closed airfield. Of course, the drivers were asked to get familiar with the car's specific settings before the test in order to replicate a real car owner's experience. The results were measured in the time it took to complete a single task as well as the car's distance traveled while adjusting the said settings.

This year, the same study was conducted with the same exact testing methodology for consistency. In 2022, the average distance traveled while completing tasks was about 2,480 ft, while in 2026, that figure is 2,667 ft. In other words, it took the drivers two extra seconds to complete the same tasks under the same conditions four years later.

Just to put those numbers into context, back in 2005, the Volvo V70 was criticized for having complicated media control buttons and cluttered controls on the dashboard, and the average time for completing these tasks was 945 ft. So it's clear that we have an issue on our hands.

The study found that Mazda was the worst offender, with the CX-60 requiring 3,730 ft to complete all tasks, despite the company advertising safety and ease of use of its infotainment system.

Volvo sits on the other end of the spectrum with a score of 1,591 ft in the same test. Audi is also taking the issue seriously and aims to bring back hardware controls for the most commonly used features. Another way to tackle this is to move the infotainment screen up on the dashboard, which reduces the distraction time for drivers, the study shows.

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