Touchscreens Are Making Driving More Dangerous, New Study Shows

A recent study from Swedish car magazine Vi Bilägare reveals that distracted driving is getting worse, and touchscreens are a major culprit. The publication repeated a 2022 test with 10 new cars and one 2016 model, timing how long drivers needed to complete simple tasks like adjusting the temperature, changing the radio station, or resetting the trip meter, all while traveling at 68 mph.

The results? Drivers this year needed an average of 2,667 feet to finish the tasks, up from 2,480 feet in 2022. That’s more than half a football field of extra distance traveled with eyes off the road.

The worst performers were the Mazda CX-60. Mercedes-Benz CLA, and Toyota Corolla Cross, while the 2005 Volvo V70, a car with no touchscreen, completed the same tasks in just 328 feet. Even the best new vehicles, like the Volvo XC60 and Tesla Model Y, couldn’t come close. The problem, says Vi Bilägare, is that drivers now spend more time interacting with screens and controls for basic functions, forcing them to look away from the road.

Some automakers have tried to fix this by moving to higher, horizontal screens, but the study shows distraction levels are still rising.

There’s hope on the horizon. Telemetry Vice President Sam Abuelsamid notes that Volkswagen has admitted it went too far with touch controls and is bringing back physical buttons for audio and climate. Meanwhile, China will require core functions, like turn signals, wipers, and defrosters, to have physical controls starting next year.

Abuelsamid says that will pressure the industry globally. He also praises voice controls as a safer alternative. But he warns that companies like Rivian are moving in the wrong direction, adding software-controlled vents that force drivers to look down.