Research shows that 97% of cars manufactured since 2023 have at least one touchscreen that is handling an ever-growing list of vehicle functions, including activation of the headlights, climate control, stereo, windshield wipers, gear selection, and so forth.
Touchscreens are cheaper to manufacture since more functions are consolidated in one location. Costs can be cut, as there are fewer buttons, knobs, dials, and less wiring involved. But sleekness and consolidation don’t add up to improved safety.
Touchscreens sometimes black out, freeze, or otherwise malfunction. Drivers can’t monitor their speed, GPS systems leave them in the dark, and activating various safety functions goes out the window. Voice-automated systems are inconsistent and often prove inadequate as backups.
Touchscreens are also more distracting due to digital menu navigation, lack of tactile feedback that buttons and knobs offer, glare and smudges, etc. A 2022 Swedish study compared a 2005 vehicle, with then-standard knobs, buttons, and switches, to 11 touchscreen vehicles. Drivers were given a list of driving tasks to complete while traveling at 68 mph. (Drivers were familiarized with all pertinent functions prior to the test.) The touchscreen drivers took 2–3 times longer to accomplish the tasks than non-touchscreen drivers.
Hence, drivers with centralized touchscreens have their eyes diverted from the road far longer than drivers without them. In 2022, over 3,500 people died due to distracted driving in the United States. Touchscreens are not reducing that somber statistic.
Consumer backlash is moving some automakers to bring back at least some physical buttons and knobs. Federal legislation is also in the works to address the issues of touchscreen defects and distracted driving.
If you are injured by a negligent driver or defective product, contact our firm for skilled and thoughtful representation.
