touch screens
Safety

Are Touch Screens Actually Conducive To Driving?

The car market has quickly evolved into a tech-centric industry in recent years. At times, it’s hard to believe there was ever a world before 360 back-up cameras existed and Apple CarPlay connected to your mobile device. While these luxuries are convenient and conducive to everyday life, lately we’ve been detecting the flaws just the same. Sure, new car tech is pretty amazing, especially for safety reasons, but it also begs the question — “Have we gone too far?” One controversial feature pitting the automotive community against each other most recently is the rise of the touch screens.

From standard 11 inch displays to Tesla’s impressive 17 inch touchscreen with left/right tilt, its certainly become a show-stopping feature any time you enter a relatively new make or model. Reports suggest nearly 97 percent of new cars made come equipped with at least one touch screen feature. On top of that, the size and utility of these touch interfaces are expanding rapidly. It’s going so far as passengers are now getting their own individualized screen in select luxury models. Call them tiny computers or whatever you see fitting, but the invasion of the touchscreens is here and shows no signs of stopping.

Trending in size

It’s fair to say that electric innovator, Elon Musk, reignited our need for button-less controls in modern vehicles. Though touch screens have been in existence since the late 1980’s, it wasn’t until the 21st hit that the concept really made sense for the day-to-day driver. Brands like BMW gave drivers a glimpse into this interactive design feature with iDrive, and since then, it’s been decades in the making to get where we are now. A market filled with touch infotainment  displays, guiding drivers to temperature controls, bluetooth features, and in-cabin settings.

Before the Model S debuted in 2012, drivers had never really seen a cabin space completely controlled by taps on a screen. Of course, for years we’ve tried to envision what the future of driving would be (cue flying cars and automated driving) but the groundbreaking 17 inch display definitely brought new talk to the table. The innovative design paired well with the way of the future: electric and computer-like. A major part of that now including large, almost too large, display screens in models of similar make and style.

We’re seeing this trend in a handful of other EV startups, such as Rivian and Lucid. For example, Rivian’s latest pickup, R1T, features a 15.3 inch touch screen found at the center of the dashboard. And let’s not forget to mention the Lucid Air’s 34 inch curved display, which retracts into three accessible sections.

Are touch screens safe enough?

Admittedly, there’s a lot to be impressed by here. These displays are undeniably cool and can enhance the user experience when used correctly, that we can see. But is the size getting out of hand? You could probably make a case for both sides. Even though the giant dashboard provides a readable, capable and easily tangible experience for the driver, it’s also become a question of safety. Is focusing your attention on a digital infotainment screen any better than using your smartphone? 

Some safety experts acknowledge that these touch screens may not be all they are cracked up to be. In terms of safety, there are shortcomings that can’t be overlooked. Even just two seconds with your eyes off the road can put you in a compromising position. Because touch interfaces require the use of your eyes to position your finger in the right place to enable a function, it poses the risk for distraction. Today, distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of car accidents in the world.

And because touch screens have become an increasingly popular design function and choice, beyond their utility, it’s hard to say we will ever see a new car produced without button-less capabilities. Ultimately, the use of touch screens do serve plenty of benefits for daily use. However, the concern for safety leaves the future of touch panels in a contentious situation.

What do you think about vehicles with touch screens? Is it safe? Tell us your opinion about this common car tech feature below.

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Michaella Malone
Michaella Malone is a content specialist and full-time freelancer with 5+ years of experience working with small businesses on online platforms. She is a graduate of Florida State University (Go Noles!) and avid traveller, having visited over 25 countries and counting. In addition to blogging, ghostwriting, and social media content, she has contributed to the development of English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculums for international programs.

    1 Comment

    1. While they are cool to have, they are definitely distracting and difficult to use while driving.
      If they had some type of haptic feedback they might be less distracting

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