[SpideyBoy]

Came across the below article where a study is conducted to see if the infotainment systems are distracting.

Vehicle infotainment systems dangerously distracting, especially for seniors

Many of the interactive information and entertainment systems turning up in newer cars may be distracting enough to increase the risk for accidents, especially for older drivers, a new AAA Foundation study finds.

The systems often require drivers to take their eyes off the road for extended periods for when performing simple tasks such as navigation or radio tuning. And researchers found that the problem is worse for seniors, who looked away from the road for up to eight and a half seconds longer than younger drivers.

For the new study, done as a partnership between the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the University of Utah, researchers tested the visual and cognitive demands of infotainment systems in six 2018 vehicles.

Two groups of participants – between ages 21 and 36 and between 55 and 75 – were asked to use the interactive vehicle technologies to make a call, send a text message, tune the radio and run a navigation program. To do that, they needed to use voice commands as well as touch screens. Some of the more complicated systems used multiple menus and cumbersome voice command functions that made it hard to complete tasks while watching the road.

In one test, researchers periodically projected a red light onto the windshield. “The visual and cognitive demands were so great that in some cases people could detect just 25% of the red lights,” Strayer said. “A lot of these systems require the driver to look at a screen and reach over and make a precise adjustment.”

Strayer and colleagues compared the amount of time it took younger and older participants to complete a series of tasks and found: calling and dialling took younger people an average of 17.7 seconds as compared to 22.4 in the older group; text messaging took younger people 27.7 seconds to complete versus 33.8 seconds in the seniors; and navigation entry took the younger adults 31.4 seconds, versus 40 seconds in the older group.

Source

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by SpideyBoy

Came across the below article where a study is conducted to see if the infotainment systems are distracting.

Vehicle infotainment systems dangerously distracting, especially for seniors

I was contemplating changing the OE music system in my car next week. I had seen few posts of Android Auto and Apple Carplay equipped units and wanted to get one. Then your post came up and I was reminded of the reason why touchscreens are not my cup of tea. Now I have started looking for a new HU but with buttons only. For navigation, my cellphone and cellphone holder will continue do the job as always.

Originally Posted by ashis89

I have always preferred a HU with dedicated tactile buttons for all the necessary operations. A touchscreen system is a huge distraction while we are driving........but to use it if one has to take ones eye off the road, then it's a strict no-no for me........My OE music system comes with tactile buttons and for me, it is very easy to use.

[don_carmaster]

While I agree that TOUCHSCREEN'S do cause distraction. Its not that buttons dont cause any.

The marginal decrease in attention due to a touchscreen for ets greatly compensated by the look/feel and the techno feel that these screens offer.

But the hands down best implementation of a touchscreen where your distraction becomes equal to ZERO is Voice Control.

I am currently driving a MG Hector and voice control is impeccable on how it can handle the basic stuff for which we might use the touchscreen/buttons

[anivy]

Nissan Ariya, scheduled for a 2022 launch, has touch-buttons with haptic feedback on the dashboard panel itself. Does some automotive safety focused organization check if these innovations are in the interests of the drivers who will actually use them?

Source.

Panels across the Ariya’s dashboard and center console are made from plastic and have a wood-grain like finish. When the EV is turned on, illuminated buttons hidden beneath this plastic light up and when pressed, provide occupants with haptic feedback. The dashboard buttons control the HVAC system while the touch buttons near the gear selector are used to select between the different drive modes.

In addition to providing users with haptic feedback when pushed, these buttons provide a distinctive sound “that would match the expectations of the driver” for a traditional button.