- The research done by Toyota Research Institute was very poor.
- The touch screen increases track drift to a great extent.
- The results suggest that automakers should reduce the size of vehicle advertisements.
A new study from the University of Washington (UW) and the Toyota Research Institute has found strong evidence against using large, intrusive touchscreens while driving.
The study, titled “Animated Touchscreens: Measuring the Impact of Cognitive Load on Distracted Drivers,” placed 16 participants in an ultra-realistic, high-performance driving simulator while researchers monitored eye and hand movements, pupil dilation, and skin conductance.
Participants were asked to complete a variety of additional tasks displayed on a touch screen while driving in a typical urban environment. Little. Simply adjust vehicle functions or change the radio station.
Both driving skills and touchscreen accuracy were measured.
according to car scoopThe researchers measured a range of driver performance and physiological indicators, from eye movements, index finger tracking and steering stability to reaction times and stress signals. This has helped us better understand the stress and cognitive load people experience while driving.
As you might expect, the results weren’t as good for those who rely more on touchscreens than physical buttons. First, touchscreen use reduced aiming accuracy and speed by more than 58% compared to the non-driving condition.
This really shows that we humans have a hard time physically interacting with a touchscreen when we’re busy processing what’s happening through the windshield of a moving car. This forces drivers to concentrate more on pressing the digital menu screens.
The results showed that when touchscreen interaction was implemented, lane departures increased by more than 40%. After this this vicious cycle continues.
put the button back
We’ve discussed this in detail before, but some manufacturers are re-introducing physical buttons for frequently used functions into their cars. This is partly due to consumer reaction, but also because some major safety agencies will penalize automakers in the future for excessive reliance on touchscreens.
I’m a firm believer that things like volume controls, lights, window defrost, windshield wipers, etc. should be mapped to physical buttons that become muscle memory after a few uses.
This means drivers won’t have to constantly search for a sensitive touchscreen, even to activate basic functions. Getting stuck in a cycle of random clicks, switching to the wrong menu, and activating the wrong function is not only frustrating, but extremely dangerous.
A study from the University of Washington (UW) and Toyota Research Institute found that automakers are trying to reduce the number of menus needed to perform tasks by introducing hardware buttons that can be customized to navigate to frequently used items.
Otherwise, he says, future systems will have to be smart and adapt when they detect a driver is distracted, pushing buttons or limiting certain actions they deem unsafe.
Unfortunately, it’s too cheap for modern car makers to rely solely on touchscreens and software updates to improve them. Today we are facing not only a completely homogeneous medical interior, but also a buttonless future.
