A new study from the University of Washington shows that modern vehicle touchscreen dashboards significantly impair a driver’s ability to multitask and respond to road conditions when compared with traditional physical controls. Researchers measured reaction times, visual attention, and task completion while drivers interacted with common in-vehicle touchscreen systems. The results indicate that touchscreens require longer visual engagement and higher cognitive effort, increasing distraction even during routine actions such as adjusting climate controls or navigation. As automakers continue to replace physical knobs and buttons with fully digital interfaces, the findings raise concerns about safety tradeoffs driven by design aesthetics and cost savings rather than human factors engineering. The researchers argue that current interface designs may conflict with long-standing principles of driver safety and situational awareness, especially as vehicles incorporate more complex digital systems alongside partial automation.
Source:
University of Washington
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