A new study by the University of Washington, conducted in collaboration with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), has highlighted the dangers of touchscreens in modern cars.
Infotainment screens have become practically indispensable in today’s cars. In recent years, few cars leave the factory without a multimedia system located in the middle of the dashboard.
Although they have brought a number of benefits to drivers, such as the integration of navigation and media applications, a new study highlights that they can pose significant risks to driver safety.
For the purpose of the study, the researchers placed 16 participants in a simulator. They had to touch targets on a 12-inch touch screen, similar to those used in today’s cars, while performing memory tasks simulating the cognitive load of real road traffic.
Using sensors tracking eye and hand movements and physiological signals related to mental effort, the researchers found that lateral lane departures increased by 42% when working with a screen.
Meanwhile, touch accuracy and speed while driving dropped by 58% and worsened further as mental load increased. Performance did not improve even with larger button sizes.
According to researchers, many drivers reach for the screen even before looking at it. The ideal solution would therefore be for automakers to focus on introducing simple sensors to monitor the driver’s gaze in future models.
This would allow the user interface to adapt in real time, highlighting key controls and reducing distractions, which would in turn 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.
