With the introduction of touchscreens into car cabins, there has been more to operate behind the wheel. Something that makes drivers more dangerous in traffic, shows a new investigation.
Touch screens in cars are becoming more and more common, but a new study shows that they may be more dangerous than previously thought.
Drivers spend an average of between 3.4 and 15.7 seconds operating the touch screen, depending on the complexity of the task. During that time, the driver's attention is taken away from the traffic, which can have serious consequences.
The survey, which was carried out by SINTEF and Nord University on behalf of Trygg Trafikk and the insurance company Fremtind, measured how long it takes to perform various functions on the touch screen during the crossing.
44 people took part in the study, where their eye movements and distribution of attention were recorded with a camera.
This is written by Norwegian TV2 .
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The results show that entering an address in the navigation system is the most time-consuming task. The drivers took an average of 15.7 seconds to complete that task.
Selecting music or radio channel took 10-11 seconds, while adjusting the temperature was the fastest task at 3.4 seconds.
– During that time, you are inattentive as a driver, you spend time on the screen instead of the traffic. And when you take your eyes off the traffic, you're actually driving blind. So, the longer the task takes, the longer you have to be blindfolded, says Ann-Helen Hansen in Trygg Trafikk.
Even short tasks can be problematic. when a touchscreen is involved. At least in relation to road safety. Still, there's no indication that the displays are on their way out.
– If you drive 22 km/h in the city while writing an address, you are in practice only 12 meters blind. If you control the music for just 2 seconds, while cruising along at 63 km/h, you have a short distance of more than 30 meters in the blind.
– Corsel requires your full attention, all the time. It goes without saying that touch screens offer security challenges, says Ann-Helen Hansen.
Therese Hofstad-Nielsen, injury prevention employee at Fremtind, supports the results of the investigation.
– The problem with screens in cars is complex. One is that in practice you sing blindly. Then you have to rearrange yourself in the traffic picture again. In addition, the individual car brands' systems are different, which creates further confusion.
– If you drive in a foreign car. That is why we need the type of research so that car manufacturers and authorities can put in place to reduce the risk of injuries as much as possible.
The Norwegians are not the only ones who are skeptical of the large touch screens. At BMW, director Oliver Zipse believes, for example, that the largest screens will be completely banned.
And at the safety institute EURO NCAP, they will indirectly put restrictions on the screens. Something that i.a. goes beyond Tesla. Read more about it here .
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