Unsafe Car Feature
 

In today's Daily Sun, auto section--there was a column about touch screens on cars

The author feels they are unsafe, because the driver must take their eyes off the road in oder to operate certain features such as radio and a/c

Its amazing some states will give a driver a ticket for texting while driving but not for fiddling a touch screen

In my opinion there is not real difference--its distracted driving

The author advise is to tell a dealer , "you would buy their car if it didn't have a touch screen"

I agree. When you use the touchscreen you have to go through several screens to do something you used to do with a single dial. It is nice for navigation but unsafe for everything else.

I have a 2013 Dodge Dart, and a 2017 Ford Escape. Both have touch screens that I never use. Both have voice command features that allow me to use phone, nav, radio, etc., without taking my eyes off the road. There is a way around touch screens.

Is it not just a matter of degree/time?
Compared to turning the old dials, buttons, slides for setting a/c, radio, answering the phone, reading (anything), eating, taking/putting back a drink container, etc.

The touch screen is just today's variant.
They are all/have been/continue to be distractions.

My car allows all functions to be done using voice commands. And, the touch screen can only be used for simple tasks while the car is in motion. For example, you cannot type anything on the keyboard when the car is moving.

Thanks to this Public Service Announcement, I shall never again look at my speedometer, gas gauge, temp gauge, rear view mirror, or any other distraction that requires me to take my eyes off the road.

Depends on the vehicle, location and size of the screen, and how well the company engineered the user interface. Some engineer certain functions to be redundant where they can be done by touch screen, manual buttons and dials, and/or even steering wheel controls and some even by voice command if you take the time to learn how to use the voice command function - many do not. My Ram pickup has all of that functionality. I admit I almost never use the voice commands, but I commonly use the steering wheel controls to change radio volume or change stations, but I can also do that by turning the volume knob or through the touch screen. I can't control my climate control features from the steering wheel but I can with manual buttons or through the touch screen. On top of all of that, my touch screen is over 8" in size and is at the very top center where I don't have to completely look away from the road to see it. Sitting up high, as I do in a 4x4 pickup, I am amazed at how many people I pass on the road that have a cell phone in their hands, obviously texting or even emailing or probably even looking at facebook. I don't think the touch screen features on newer vehicles are anywhere near as big a problem. You would think this is isolated to younger people that were born with smartphones in their hands, but I see just as many "grownups" that should certainly know better. It's that human nature thing that makes people feel like those things will never happen to them.

The use of a co-pilot can not only handle the touch screen but remind the pilot to keep his/her eyes on the road.

:a20:

I tend to look at auto reviews and see what the reviewer liked or disliked. There have been several articles in the last 1 to 2 years about these displays. In many cases the reviewer complained that the touch screen buttons were hard to operate without looking at the screen, think about the "mayhem" TV commercial. The last new car I bought I specifically told the dealer I did NOT want the high end electronics package, as I like button and knobs. I know this car so well I can change the temperature, change the radio, even change the input to the radio without the need to look at the controls. The same goes for the steering wheels controls, which I know by feel. I use a separate GPS with FREE lifetime map updates, and position it by the drivers side pillar, in this location you are still looking towards the road when you glance at the GPS. Note I have friends that were charged over $300 to have the maps updated in their touch screen car systems.
All of this is a matter of taste, and familiarity with the vehicle, so if you are happy with your touch screen, that is fine, by as for me, if the vehicle requires use of a touch screen for basic operations (A/C, radio, temperature control, etc.) it is off my list for a new car.

The actual best auto reviews--originate out of Australia, look up Auto Expert on youtube--very enlightening--the reviewer has a potty mouth-but he is for real

Get with the late 20th Century. Touch screens, pads and Heads Up Displays are the way to go. Look at any modern jet fighter/bomber aircraft. This "Hi-Tech' is easier to operate and maintain, says the retired Electronics Engineer. My next car will have automatic everything. Next we will finally have self driving cars.

Our cars have damn near everything, safety wise-but I don't have to look at a screen to make them function, collision alert, auto braking, distance keeping, blind spot, 360 degree camera, auto parking,lane keeping, driver alert , pre-safe--might have left something out

Bingo. I had to chuckle as I envision the laughter as one of the "we don't like progress or change" generation tells the salesperson he wants roll up windows instead of electric.
Once the "can't take change" generation is no longer driving, we can move on without all the hand-wringing.

I think progress is great, but I think we must realize that there is price to pay for everything...
Kind of like the Yin and Yang of life.
I recall before television families spent more time together.
Before electronic calculators more peple could count,
and before cell phones and texting people communicated
one on one with each other more frequently,
and didn’t drive while texting.
We split the atom, and on one hand a good thing, but now we have concerns about nuclear holocaust.