A new study from the University of Washington, conducted in partnership with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), highlighted the dangers of touchscreens in modern automobiles.
Infotainment screens have become practically indispensable in contemporary cars. In recent years, very few vehicles leave manufacturers without a multimedia center positioned in the middle of the dashboard.
However, while they have introduced several conveniences for drivers, such as the integration of navigation and media apps, the new research emphasized that they can pose significant risks to driver safety.
For the study, researchers placed 16 participants in a simulator. They were asked to touch targets on a 12-inch touchscreen, similar to those used in today’s cars, while simultaneously performing memory tasks that simulate the cognitive load of real-world traffic.
Using sensors to track eye and hand movements, as well as physiological signals linked to mental effort, the scientists found that while participants interacted with the screen, lateral lane deviation increased by 42%.
Meanwhile, the accuracy and speed of touches dropped by 58% while driving and worsened even further as mental load increased. Performance also did not improve with larger button sizes.
According to the researchers, many drivers reach for the screen even before looking at it. Therefore, the ideal solution would be for automakers to focus on implementing simple eye-tracking sensors to measure driver attention in future models.
This would allow the interface to adapt in real time, highlighting essential controls and reducing distractions, which in turn would increase the safety of using touchscreens while driving.
Photo: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
