A new study conducted by the University of Washington in collaboration with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) highlights the dangers of touchscreens installed in modern vehicles.
Infotainment screens have become almost an essential element in modern cars. In recent years, few cars have been released without a multimedia system in the center of the dashboard.
However, while providing various conveniences such as linking with navigation and media applications, this study emphasized that these screens can pose a significant risk to driver safety.
The researchers placed 16 participants in a simulator and had them touch target points on a 12-inch touchscreen similar to those used in current vehicles. At the same time, a memory test that simulated the cognitive load of actual traffic situations was also conducted.
Using sensors that track physiological signals related to gaze, hand movements, and mental effort, they found that while participants were interacting with the screen, lateral in-lane departures increased by 42%.
Meanwhile, touch accuracy and speed while driving decreased by 58%, and as cognitive load increased, performance deteriorated further. There was no performance improvement even when the button size was increased.
According to researchers, many drivers tend to reach out and operate the car before looking at the screen. Accordingly, it is advisable for automakers to focus on introducing simple eye-tracking sensors to measure driver attention in future models.
This is expected to increase the safety of touchscreen use while driving by allowing the interface to adapt in real time, emphasizing key control elements and reducing unnecessary distractions.
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