New Delhi: Nowadays, new cars are coming in the market equipped with big touchscreens and high-tech features. This technology looks modern and attractive, but isn’t it posing a risk to our safety while driving? According to many researchers and experts, as convenient as a touchscreen is, it can distract the driver’s attention, which can increase the chances of an accident.

Car manufacturers market it as a modern and premium experience, but from a safety point of view there is not much discussion about this feature. The question is, are we risking our safety with smart cars?

Risk of distraction due to touchscreen

In a research conducted by a famous Swedish car magazine, a comparative study was conducted between the touchscreens of 11 modern cars and the physical buttons of the 2005 Volvo V70. In this, drivers were asked to operate AC, radio and other controls while driving the car at a speed of 110 KM.

The research found that in cars with touchscreens it took 20 seconds or more to complete a simple task, while in cars with physical buttons the same task was done in less than 10 seconds. The reason for this is that the driver can use the buttons and knobs without even looking, whereas in a touchscreen one has to take his eyes off the road again and again.

Euro NCAP trends and the need for physical buttons

Europe’s leading vehicle safety agency Euro NCAP has also warned on touchscreens. According to the agency, physical buttons and knobs provide less distraction while driving because you do not have to take your eyes off the road to operate them. At the same time, full attention has to be paid for menu navigation or other operations in touchscreen.

Experts say that along with the touchscreen, there should also be physical buttons and voice command options, so that the driver’s attention always remains on the road. Standards like Euro NCAP may soon implement such rules so that car manufacturers design safe and user-friendly interfaces.

Research on touchscreen

A recent Transportation Research Laboratory study found that a driver’s reaction time can increase by up to 57% when using a touchscreen, which is equivalent to the effect of alcohol or drugs. This means the driver may be slower to react to road conditions, further increasing the risk of an accident.

Changes in safety ratings in new cars

Euro NCAP has made it clear that in future it may be difficult to give 5-star safety rating to such cars in which essential functions are being performed only through touchscreen. It will be mandatory to have physical buttons for functions like horn, windshield wiper, turn signal and emergency light.

Growing trend in India

The trend of cars with big touchscreens is increasing rapidly in the Indian market. 10 inch or larger displays are being provided in recently launched cars like Mahindra XUV 7X, BE6, Tata Sierra, Kia Carens and Hyundai Creta. In the race for features, some companies are now offering fancy options like making payments from the car and opening doors with hand-wave.

Advantages of touchscreen

There are some benefits of touchscreen also. This allows navigation, connectivity and entertainment to be controlled on a single screen, which is not possible with traditional button systems. Modern driving experience is better, but it is important to keep safety in mind.