A new study from the University of Washington, conducted in collaboration with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), has highlighted the dangers of touchscreens in modern vehicles.
Infotainment screens have become almost indispensable in contemporary cars. In recent years there are only a few vehicles that come off the assembly line without a central multimedia unit in the middle of the dashboard.
While they offer drivers numerous conveniences, such as integration with navigation and media apps, the new research highlights that they can pose significant risks to driver safety.
For the study, the researchers placed 16 participants in a simulator. They had to touch targets on a 12-inch touchscreen, similar to those in today’s cars, while also completing memory tests that simulate the cognitive load of real traffic.
Using sensors to capture eye and hand movements, as well as physiological signals related to mental effort, the scientists found that lateral tracking deviation increased by 42% while participants operated the screen.
At the same time, touch accuracy and speed dropped by 58% while driving and continued to deteriorate as mental load increased. Increasing the size of the keys did not improve performance.
According to the researchers, many drivers extend their hand toward the screen even before they look at it. Therefore, it would be ideal if manufacturers focused on implementing simple eye tracking sensors in future models to measure driver attention.
This would allow the user interface to adapt in real time, highlight essential controls and reduce distractions, which in turn would increase safety when using touchscreens while driving.
Photo: Unsplash. This content was created using AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
