How Safe Are Touch Screens In Cars Like Tesla

Most cars now have touch screens in the middle of the dashboard. Some tech heavy cars - such as those by companies like Tesla and Rivian - rely nearly entirely on them. They're also cheaper to make and maintain. But some people hate them. They say they are less safe, confusing, unnecessary, and take longer than a simple button or switch. But touch screens in cars aren't going away. Some innovations, such as those by suppliers such as Harman and Continental, may blend some of the best of the old with entirely new possibilities, while managing risks.
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How Safe Are Touch Screens In Cars Like Tesla

[@uhohhhsteven]

Personally, I don’t like all touchscreen. I still like the tactile feel of buttons. Easier when I’m driving

[@djwoosie98]

Haptic feedback

[@davidperry4013]

Or just have a smaller touchscreen and add physical buttons and knobs for climate and audio controls.

[@minus3dbintheteens60]

Alpine's pulse touch, screen is 3 "pixels" deep, you feel the screen "snap" exactly where you press. It's from like 2005

[@uhohhhsteven]

@@minus3dbintheteens60 the problem is, you have to look at where you’re pressing. That’s my problem with touchscreens. I don’t mind it for menu navigation but for audio controls and climate control, I’d rather stick with buttons and knobs

[@uhohhhsteven]

@@davidperry4013 my 2018 Camry is like that. Even though the UI looks outdated compared to these new ev screens, I prefer my audio and climate controls to be tactile

[@rjjr7064]

80s and 90s analog dials and buttons are where it's at

[@h.mandelene3279]

I'm thinking of buying a few 90's cars and just mothball them for future use as I still drive my 90's car and truck. I don't want to have to drive today's cars when mine finally do call it quits.

[@SudburySaturdayNight1787]

@RJJR I 100% agree!

[@AnimefanDeCaro]

RJJR I was saying to everybody that 80’s cars and 90’s cars and some 2000’s cars are the best for radio. Some people have bad taste with overrated Tesla cars & newer model cars like the decade of 2020’s

[@leomajor88]

I personally need at least 27 buttons just on my steering wheel alone. And then another 53 buttons on the dashboard. That is *chef’s kiss* the epitome of style and functionality.

[@squishylemon8577]

@@leomajor88 oh god lol

[@stefanossmitty3318]

This is why I love my Mazda 6. You control everything from a knob close to the gear shift. The touchscreen is disabled once the car is in motion. Best of both worlds.

[@christerry1773]

That’s kinda where I’m at too. There needs to be a blend.

[@adammorenberg6755]

Yes! I love my mazda3. Such intuitive controls

[@trainiax]

I'm a millennial and a tech guy - and I DETEST touch screens in cars. Distracting, no haptic feedback, impossible to use without taking eyes off the road, simple commands buried in menus, and a single point of failure for many controls if the screen stops working. When a change is functionally worse than what was used before, it's not "progress" - it's "regression".

[@bobroberts2371]

But, but auto makers are building what focus groups say your generation wants. . .

[@davidperry4013]

I only like touch screens for vehicle settings, searching songs or destinations, and inputting a street address. Otherwise, I prefer turning a physical knob to adjust the volume, or pressing a rocker button, or turning a knob to adjust the temperature over scrounging around the complex user-hostile interface for the simplest of things that should've been a button or a knob. I demoed the controls in the Tesla and I might not like it over time if I own a tesla.

[@EricHurwitz]

@@bobroberts2371 lol its crazy that the early part of our gen was born in the 80s the old millennials are almost 38-40. now the youngest gen alpha is going to be born in 2025

[@1mlb704]

I'm a millennial tech guy too and I completely agree

[@Ilikefire2793]

To be precise its *regression with the illusion of "progress" awkwardly bolted onto it*. After all besides gps display capabilities, the infotainment system adds no improvements that older button based setups did perfectly without issues. Dials were easily and faster simply because they could adjust with the speed of you adjusting them. Can't say the same with button based variable controls let alone the mess that is touchscreen "buttons".

[@GauravMishra9200]

The best thing about buttons is, it doesn't go elsewhere after use. Its still there. So you only have to memorize it's position and functions, and you even can use it in the night without disturbing your co passengers.

[@GauravMishra9200]

@@MathGPT Touchscreen are really pointless in cars. Tesla started it, Mercedes enlarged it. Manual is better. What if the touchscreen on your car freezes? You can't even start some cars, for example Ferrari has capacitive touch in the steering for start up the engine why?.

[@GauravMishra9200]

@@JT_771 Agreed. Its the consumer who has to lose at the end of the day isn't?

[@bftjoe]

@@GauravMishra9200 Yes, buttons never fail or break, only touch screens.

[@followerofjesuschrist.]

"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4:17 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." Matthew 5:38-39:

[@peternystrom921]

Most Buttons are down the middle consoll To say that ppl can use them without looking is a paradox

[@djp1234]

Tactile feedback > touch screens. With touch screens, you have to look and aim with your finger while driving to make sure you're hitting the right button. And even if you hit the right button, it still might not respond, and you have to hit it again, and you have to keep looking at the screen to make sure it responded and the right button was pushed.

[@chrisfriends7911]

Unless you have a Tesla which you can do everything with voice command

[@christerry1773]

Or if your on a bumpy road your finger doesn’t hit the targeted area, so you gotta keep looking back and trying again.

[@__Rune__]

​@@chrisfriends7911Voice commands is still something that works so badly in cars

[@Blank00]

Some companies like Honda and Mitsubishi have experimented with making more functions touchscreen-based very early on, but they have reverted back to physical buttons for their newest vehicles. Good on them for going against this trend. It took some dissatisfaction for them to revert, but it shows that they learned from their mistakes unlike the Koreans or VW. Going forward, I hope that they continue using physical buttons despite whatever partnership Honda has with GM and Sony or whatever partnership Mitsubishi has with the RNM Alliance.

[@insertname9736]

What do you mean? The newer cars of those companies still have tablets. It's just the radio and CA that have buttons.

[@Blank00]

@@insertname9736 exactly. Previously, volume was capacitive and some climate functions were baked into the touchscreen. But both of them have changed their interior philosophy so that volume is a physical knob and climate controls are now entirely physical

[@SquizzMe]

Ironically, touchscreen relies more on your vision than your touch. They're only good for when your vision is completely free.

[@vaughankorede521]

Quite an irony.

[@christerry1773]

Which seems such an oxymoron in an age where distracted driving is such a major contribution to so many crashes.

[@dbclass4075]

Shouldn't the vision be fine in the first place when driving?

[@lperea21]

And when your hand is not bouncing around because of bumps in the road at the exact moment you try to touch something on the screen

[@TankDerek]

4:55 Absolutely wild that driving while drunk or stoned is better for your reaction time than driving with a touch screen in your car.

[@spacetoast7783]

You're not continuously using the screen though. It's not an apples-to-apples comparison.

[@hazelwears8728]

I'm not above reproach I have drove drunk b 4 and had knows back then,if I still drank ( I quit4 years ago) I wouldn't even try to mess with a touch screen! Hell I'm sober now and find them dangerous! I don't like them. The only time I even mess with mine is when I'm parked( b 4 leaving), or at s stop sign! Mainly b 4 I leave to go somewhere.

[@christerry1773]

@@spacetoast7783 does that really matter? The problem is you have to completely look away at the screen for almost anything your doing. All it takes is a couple of seconds.

[@spacetoast7783]

@@christerry1773 It does matter. That's the whole point of comparing two things.

[@christerry1773]

@@spacetoast7783 your comment makes no sense whatsoever

[@VarsVerum]

Touch screens are annoying in general. There’s a reason game consoles still use tactile controllers, even the ones WITH touch screens. It’s a lot more intuitive to know by feeling where something is rather than seeing where something is.

[@IRLSuperb]

True but they need cars to be more “luxurious” so buttons is considered 90s now

[@TheAdventureAuto]

When you drive you aren't needing to press buttons constantly to make it work. When playing a game pressing buttons is the entirety of what you're doing. So it makes sense for a game controller.

[@Dastun-]

Hi Vars, didn’t expect to see you here. Also I agree on your point.

[@Ohiostategenerationx]

So what your saying is that you are not too bright. A controller has to be used in order to play the game the correct way. You can't use a touch screen to play a game and be even in the same ball park as being effective as a controller. Actually I should have said you know nothing about video games because it clearly shows. On a car touch screen you touch it here and there. On a video game with a controller it's every half a second.

[@Ohiostategenerationx]

@@MathGPT yeah on cars but they compared it to video games. It's a huge difference.

[@bravocharlie639]

Blue and White lighting of Touchscreens impairs your night vision. Cockpits intentionally use Red lighting and as dim as possible. Physical knobs, for use while driving, are superior interfaces.

[@botijaism]

I’m not that old and I hate touch screens. I’ll keep my old cars as long as possible

[@lucasjames5187]

Yeah I'm the same way And I'm 30 years old. I've always liked cars just to be simple and Not come with more problems. I don't want a car to be a freaking computer and running on software. That's why I call a lot of these car companies now a bunch of try hards. Because they wanted to be the next big thing that's Reinventing the wheel. (no pun intended) And I have always said that if it's not broken then don't fix it. Meaning as in there's certain aspects you just need to leave alone.

[@leomajor88]

Amen, personally I miss AM and FM radio on cars. Who needs Bluetooth anyways? Bring back cassette players and ditch seatbelts. Those liberal leftists trying to get us to use the communist seatbelts. And why reduce emissions on newer cars? Let me burn all the fossil fuels I want as my American right. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

[@Sjrick]

Buttons are safer, especially at night. I almost got into an accident because of the screen. Also some buttons are too much alike where they need to be different feel wise.

[@chrisfriends7911]

That's why you use "voice commands".

[@Sjrick]

@@chrisfriends7911 not every vehicle has voice commands

[@Victor-vj5ds]

I almost got into an accident looking for buttons, teslas voice control is way safer and easier, all cars should have voice commands.

[@Sjrick]

@@Victor-vj5ds if you can’t figure out what buttons do what, maybe you shouldn’t be driving

[@Victor-vj5ds]

@@Sjrick so I'm just suppose to know what all 50 buttons in a car does and exactly where they are before I drive it? How about I do what driving guide books say and don't change the radio or open compartments while driving because it takes attention away, oh wait, everyone does this and is overblowing the issue.

[@ericdavidson9974]

I think touch screens in cars is fine, but there should be some controls with physical buttons and knobs. Personally, I think that climate control and radio volume control should be controlled with physical buttons and knobs.

[@ericdavidson9974]

@Frenchy I can agree with that. A touch screen in a car should be used for music, radio, GPS, and other miscellaneous information related to the car’s performance.

[@joeking433]

The more knobs the better, IMO!

[@cybertrk]

@Frenchy luddite point of view. Don't like it, don't use it. If you don't like touchscreens use the voice command, stop trying to force everyone to your preference. Keep your old car with knobs, time is moving forward without you.

[@bobroberts2371]

Bob Lutz ( GM and Chrysler ) had said in an article on touch screens that you really can't improve on a radio that has a knob for volume, knob for station selection / Heat - AC that has a knob for temperature, a knob for blower speed and a knob for where the air comes out.

[@joeking433]

@@bobroberts2371 _"In a very literal sense, the monkeys were attracted to shiny objects in and around human beings. They had no rational need for these items, but they were inexplicably drawn to them. Indeed, they even attributed great value to these items exibiting protectionist behaviour."_

[@otikamporn]

Real physical button / knob is much easier to use for a specific function.

[@damonkatos4271]

I work with so many digital screens each day. When I get in my car to go home, all I want to see is analog gauges.

[@johnslaughter5475]

Self driving cars have limits. I live in northern Idaho. We get snow for at least 4 months - snow that wipes out the road. The self driving cars can no longer find the landmarks they need. GPS is far from perfect. At best, it is within 10'. That means the full width of a lane. Just think of driving all spring, summer, and early fall using a self driving car and then suddenly you have to take full control during times when you shouldn't even be using cruise control. I just asked a car salesman if the large screen might be a distraction. He admitted that it is. BTW, putting lines under the road to guide cars doesn't work when you hit black ice.

[@iamjohnporter67]

In the future there is going to be more focus on self driving cars to the point where us humans may not be able to bother driving ourselves. Its inevitable but thats how its going to be going forward.

[@johnslaughter5475]

@@iamjohnporter67 I can see that. But, they are going to have to do many, many years of work in winter driving conditions. Many people totally forget how to drive in the winter. With the first snowfalls, I stay home. Let everyone else wreck their cars out there. Anywhere in the country can see deluges where hydroplaning becomes a distinct possibility. These can happen very suddenly. Using the brakes is a no-no.

[@joeking433]

@@iamjohnporter67 Yeah, I believe that. But then again I really believed them when they said we would have all flying cars by now!

[@ad636051]

I hate that cars are putting ac controls into the touch screens with the radio. It's making it very difficult to upgrade to an aftermarket radio that sounds much better.

[@specialopsdave]

Touch screens are OK for bluetooth pairing, navigation, and many other things, but anything that is expected to be adjusted while driving needs to have physical controls

[@larrythomas4614]

Watch touch screens become as dangerous as cell phone usage while driving. It’s near impossible to keep your attention on driving when it’s necessary to use a touch screen for all or most of the car’s functions. They should be outlawed!! Hopefully it’s just a fad manufacturers are going thru and the pendulum will swing back to sanity.

[@joeking433]

I think the legacy brands will realize Tesla's folly and put knobs and buttons in their cars instead of having to delve through menu after menu as you take your eyes off the road. Maybe Elon thought FSD would be more advanced and the driver wouldn't have to keep his eyes on the road as much?

[@JesusisKing2000]

@@joeking433 all teslas come with buttons and scroll wheels for music controls, voice commands, autopilot controls, and windshield wipers. So you don’t have a valid point unfortunately

[@TheBicPen]

@@JesusisKing2000 Tesla fan?

[@khj5582]

@@joeking433 Won't happen. Cost is the real driver.

[@joeking433]

@@khj5582 Except for making EV's of ICE cars like the Ford Lightning or Chevy Silverado EV the knobs and buttons are already in place and it would cost more to go to a Tesla knobless strategy.

[@Marchusv]

Still crazy that after years of telling people to stop texting while driving literally every car company decided to start putting giant tablets in their vehicles.

[@sentinel151]

The irony is great.

[@elliebrown181]

It’s nutz

[@kenethpescador206]

Hyping new customers

[@cybertrk]

So use the voice commands.

[@theshield1613]

To control population by the Government

[@the_rubbish_bin]

I guess I will be keeping my old Toyota a little while longer. No "screen' at all, just a dot matrix display for the radio.

[@notitsjerry]

Very soon, we need to pay $50 a months in order to use different functions in a car

[@JamesBrown-ug2tm]

Yup 5G.

[@avonfettydale9166]

Crazy as hell

[@redwhite_040]

Uh yes, BMW is already talking about that.

[@ardentdfender4116]

I sincerely believe that’s coming and it will be unfortunate. Greed knows no bound which is why.

[@odinfatherofthor]

Imagine if you missed your subscription and can't turn on your wipers

[@greedtheron8362]

I think touch screens for non-important stuff like radio or gps is fine, but for necessary functions of the car, like the rear defroster, it should be illegal to have them controlled by touch screen only. I could definitely see accidents happen because some update changed a vital function of the car and someone was too rushed to learn where the new location for it was. I hate whenever I have to drive my stepdad's tesla because I have to spend so much time just getting the AC and heated seats to where I want it, while it was a non issue with any other car I've driven.

[@Connor_Roush]

It’s the dumbest trend ever.

[@davinp]

Some cars infotainment systems are too complex which has climate controls built into the system. The problem with these touch screens is that can be distracting to the driver. We cannot be taking our eyes off the road to mess around with it

[@KRYMauL]

Most drivers are distracted regardless because they're just daydreaming. How about we work on either making the roads narrower to reduce speed to non-lethal amounts or invest in modes of transportation that actually encourage distractions.

[@bobroberts2371]

Have a look at the 1986 Buick Rivera touch screen where the climate and radio are on the same screen , one at a time.

[@saxmanb777]

There’s a reason modern aircraft still don’t have touch screens, aside from a tablet on the side for charts. Pilots need that tactile feedback to operate the aircraft. Cars? Nah, make them all touchscreens.

[@Ilikefire2793]

That and also touchscreens are easily to lose grip while using them durring bumps. Button on the otherhand allow for better grip of them cause they sink into the console when pressed. Navy once tried to switch to touch screen only controls on their ships. Obviously that didn't work out very well and caused a few crashes. lol

[@leeswecho]

Modern aircraft do have touchscreens (my former company, Collins Aerospace, made them). But they also had real buttons for the safety critical commands that absolutely must not be hidden behind a menu.

[@Ilikefire2793]

@@leeswecho Collins aerospace? What type of aircraft they make. Jets or Prop? Cause i dont think I've heard about them, at least not yet.

[@leeswecho]

@@Ilikefire2793 Jets. Business Jets, Regional Jets, and Airliners. One example of each with Collins flight decks and touchscreens: Bombardier Global 7000, Airbus A220, Boeing 787.

[@ricardomorais420]

As a rent a car employee that has driven millions of miles, the "old" cars are much safer and user friendly. Buttons are much better than touch screens, specially when you are already accustomed to the car. Touch screens are just a distraction, specially for this new generation that are all the time with their faces stuck to all type of screens. As someone that has avoided several accidents by split seconds, I know how much a second is precious. I for change, hate screens, specially the ones at the hospital that make bib, bib, biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...... I hope some brand sticks with manual gear boxes, manual hand-breaks and buttons. I want to be in control of the machine, I don't want the machine controlling me.

[@jonathantan2469]

I have actually changed a CD many times while driving at around 45 mph. Without looking away from the road for more than a second, I can use my fingers to feel & select the CD I want from the wallet, eject the CD from the player, slot in the new one, and press play. Can't really do that with a touchscreen when you want to change the song on Spotify...

[@zealouslime]

In my Toyota it has a good balance. The climate is built into the dash with knobs and buttons. There is a volume knob. The only purpose of the touchscreen is for entertainment (audio) and you still have your typical buttons on the steering wheel for calls, volume, changing tracks, etc.

[@LightStreamer]

worst part is if screen quits working your sol. not to mention cost of replacment

[@Riveloperinc]

Who doesn’t want to drill through menus to turn on heated seats? 🙄

[@saulgoodman2018]

You first have to pay monthly for heated seats.

[@king_kmarce]

@@saulgoodman2018 you beat me to it

[@davidperry4013]

Me neither. I'd much rather push a button or turn a knob on the center console or center stack to turn on my heated seats.

[@leomajor88]

Right?! In my Tesla it’s at least 37 pages in the menu til I can find my heated seat buttons 😭. Help me, I’m so impaired. Oh wait…Nevermind…it’s actually only two clicks that take about 1 second tops to turn on the heated seats. And I can do it all while on autopilot. Guess I’m good…

[@tah6746]

Not I.

[@desertrose0027]

I personally hate the touch screens for most things. For one, they are much less sensitive than a button. With a button, you press it once and it does what it needs to do. With the touch screen you need to hit a certain area, and with the car moving I find I often have to press a few times before it registers for the car. That's more time than I would like with eyes off the road. That and I have to hit 3 or 4 different buttons on the screen to turn on my heated seats in the winter, whereas before I could do this by simply reaching down and hitting a scroll wheel near my seat, without taking my eyes off the road. I'm not opposed to things being on the touch screen (and I do like having a backup camera), but I think that the buttons should be easier to hit the first time and that not everything should be on a touch screen. Also, doing more things with voice activation would be great, as opposed to hiding features behind multiple tech trees.

[@bdog1323]

How funny is that I now treat my new car(s) like they're ready for the junkyard but I take care of my older, "vintage" cars to last longer because they are just more enjoyable for driving. Granted newer cars are just as enjoyable but the touch screen takes a lot of joy out of it when you have to keep looking at it for basic functions like rear defogger, thermostat control or even on some cars, cruise control. To each their own I suppose.

[@Ilikefire2793]

Also the bypass ducts on older cars. Why did we stop having them as a feature? Like with smaller electronics you'd think they'd make more sence to have now. Like only minivans use bypass rear windows for AC-less windows down style cooling now. Why hasn't it become a standard for all cars nowadays?

[@tah6746]

If the Infotainment / Touchscreen Trend keeps going. I am not in the market for a new car.

[@GiorgosIoak]

An idea would be to only have some options in screen when driving and give access to only the passenger for extra features

[@princemontgomery6759]

the aftermarket is why touchscreens are popular we were putting tvs in our cars in the early 2000s upgraded stereos interfaces the companies just started doing it themselves and it looks cooler

[@dbclass4075]

Yeah, but it is just that: for entertainment, not for important car features.

[@KTJohnsonkidThunder]

I only would find touchscreens in a car for one purpose: GPS Mapping. For other functions, I rather use buttons. Infotainment systems can definitely throw off the driver.

[@KRYMauL]

I only like it for connecting my phone because it's easier to get a song. Otherwise, buttons are the best.

[@FriedRice3519]

@@KRYMauL ikr lol for me, the only thing it's mostly useful for imo is for connecting music lol

[@staringcorgi6475]

Than buy a gps

[@dbclass4075]

@@staringcorgi6475 Phone mount is cheaper, though.

[@SupaBuma]

The touch screen in my 2017 Chevy Colorado suffers from 'Ghost Touches' basically rendering the screen useless. The screen doesn't register any of my inputs and the screen just jumps around when on a map. The isn't any damage to the screen or any part of my truck. My favorite is when my touch screen calls OnStar.

[@NileshR12]

A mix of buttons with a touchscreen is a better route, or even a touchscreen with haptic/ tactile feedback are also better to confirm your input when you want to select something on the screen. A lot of cars also have touchpads or rotary knobs to use instead while driving so you don't reach to touch the screen. The touchscreen functionality is better to use when you're at a red light or in slow moving traffic & you don't have much else to do lol

[@JamesD837c]

I think there needs to be laws that make these systems upgradeable and fixable at non outrageous prices. Otherwise the over computerization turns them into throw away cars. After several years most high tech electronics are on borrowed time if not obsolete.

[@lonewanderer5515]

Its a safety thing With normal buttons you can feel where they are without looking and press them but with touch screen even if they rase the buttons to make the individual button more prominent you will still have to take your eyes off the road for simple things.

[@eloimumford5247]

So happy to hear that people are rising this issue , i have a 2022 kia but avoid to use the screen , i prefer to look at the road and DRIVE.

[@tah6746]

Touch Screen / Infotainment System = No Sail. I do not want this Complication or Distraction in my Automobile.

[@johnnguyen6159]

Similarly in the video game industry the big 3 (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo) still use controller with buttons, joystick, etc. due to response times instead of going full touchscreen.

[@Ilikefire2793]

It would be stupid not too. No feedback and also it being a slipery flat surface would be stupid to switch to as the primary control surfaces.

[@SubwooferChanel]

Im 24 and go out of my way to buy older cars with low miles to avoid things like dirrect injection, touch screens, coil on plug setups. Yeah. Wish a company would just build some new cars with simple tech. Coil with wires, regular injectors on a rail, knobs for the radio and ac. Would really like to have a new car that wasnt completely ran down with tech and control input features, no auto brakes, no electric power steering. I could go on and on but i know one day i wont have a choice.

[@GeneralChangFromDanang]

You can thank the politicians who seem to think we need to squeeze 100mpg out of cars by 2030.

[@Ilikefire2793]

@@GeneralChangFromDanang pretty sure that its not the Electronics that are the reason for higher gas mileage on newer cars but the improvement to its mechanical systems and how it gets burnt and power gets outputed effectively to be used more fully. After all, don't more modern cars have higher hp ratings while getting higher mpgs on average that most cars made in the past?

[@GeneralChangFromDanang]

Idk, but it does seem like they're trying to put a turbocharger on any 4 cylinder engine. Just seems like a lot of future headaches to me.

[@Ilikefire2793]

@@GeneralChangFromDanang isn't a turbocharger basically a small jet engine?

[@aaronaustrie]

I wouldn't want technology in a car if it makes me less focused on what I'm doing. Or if it's more tasking

[@jimmyrichards5595]

This is why I'm for something that seems to me as if it could be done now, and could have already been in place for a few years now. Voice control for non-safety critical operations, such as wipers, radio/music, seat position, heating a/c and defrost, ect. ect...

[@FinancialShinanigan]

my sausage fingers hate touch screens

[@jonathantan2469]

7:40 Dude, we just want buttons back. I don't want to be solving a Rubiks Cube just to turn on the rear window de-mister...

[@eddiehizo5682]

Watch the Star Wars. Most of x wing fighter, tie fighter, and all the ships in there aren't using touch-screen. They still use buttons and toggle switches.

[@buklao]

Let me know in 20 years if that touch screen will still be usable. That's my biggest issue, we don't know the durability and if the touch screen breaks, bye bye to all the functions in your car other than driving.

[@elmohead]

They're more durable than knobs and buttons (as long as you don't smash them).

[@bartolomeothesatyr]

Any safety-critical function should have dedicated ergonomic controls that one's hand can find by muscle memory without taking one's eyes off the road ahead, not be buried in a submenu. Full stop. That being said, I'm personally not concerned about the relative durability of touchscreen controls vis-à-vis physical knobs; solid-state electronics are by their very nature significantly less failure-prone than mechanical switches with moving parts to wear out. I've never had a touchscreen fail on me, not even when roughly tossed in a pocket and hauled around every day for the better part of a decade.

[@DC3Refom]

​@@elmoheaderrrm nope

[@elmohead]

@@DC3Refom read above.

[@verajavi12]

I love touchscreens.dumb drivers and touchscreens = a lot of work for my auto body shop.

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

😄

[@bravocharlie639]

When Car Radios had two knobs that you twisted (one for volume, one for tuning) it was a far, far better interface and I had to search for a long, long time for a new, good one with them.

[@bobroberts2371]

Bob Lutz ( GM and Chrysler ) had said in an article on touch screens that you really can't improve on a radio that has a knob for volume, knob for station selection / Heat - AC that has a knob for temperature, a knob for blower speed and a knob for where the air comes out.

[@jerryfacts9749]

The last three vehicles I owned had at least 90% of the commands working through a touch screen. In these vehicles it was a 10 inch screen in the center and the instrument and options screen directly in front of the steering window. No mechanical instruments in the dash. All shown on the screens. The center screen and the instrument screen could display the GPS maps, have icons, and menus. For push buttons there were only a small number of them for very common commands. With the screens there are menus in layers with dozens of options and commands. The big issue with a touch screen is if it fails there will be many controls and setups that will not be accessible until the system is serviced. With buttons and switches you can learn where they are and feel them without having to take your eyes off the road. With the touch screen you have to glance at the screen to see where to touch the screen to have the function you need. Best to make the selection when stopped at a light, or while the vehicle is parked on the side of the road. Touch screens save a lot of cost, because functions can be had without the cost for physical switches, more complexity for the construction of surfaces where the switches are mounted, and the wiring. Then there are the many circuits to deal with the switches and destination devices. Touch screens work by software and once the software has been written, simply installing it in to a tablet unit is a lot lower in cost than having a lot of additional physical hardware to deal with. My preference for ease of driving are the cars from the 1960s. Very simple even though lacking the technology we have today.

[@bobroberts2371]

Given you have bought 3 cars with touch screens, this tells the auto makers you want more cars / functions with touch screens.

[@grahamturner2640]

@@bobroberts2371 did he have any other reasonable options for cars?

[@bobroberts2371]

@@grahamturner2640 I don't know however, when faced with an item you don't like the best course of action is to consume the sales persons time, say " I like everything except the touch screen " then leave. Also contact the maker and tell them what you don't like and why. Unless buyers tell the makers what they don't like, the makers will continue to make what sells.

[@suhasnadiga]

Touchscreen to open a glovebox is ridiculous

[@jdenino6022]

🥵

[@jenny123garcia]

Yeah this is why I love my old cars. Feel and adjust no need to look.

[@SpidermanandJeny]

Screens are fine for GPS and for giving general at a glance info about music I'm listening to, but for everything else buttons and knobs are obviously better. Also, if a very good, very quick voice assistant existed I'd probably take that too.

[@MrTheguywiththemoney]

Don't use your phone... but a giant TV in your face is ok

[@tah6746]

How is this Legal? If a Police Officer saw me using my cell phone I would most likely end up with a Ticket.

[@Shrek765]

From a Commercial Driver 35 years; Using a Screen to see where you are going is a form of Tunnel Vision and a distraction while driving.! I will keep my 1995 Vehicle and look over my shoulders!!!

[@succeess23]

I appreciate the safety features of the 14th Gen F150 12 inch screens. It's not possible to type anything on a screen while in motion, and scrolling through a playlist will stop ever 3-4 seconds for a safety pause. Still have the volume and heat/cool buttons.

[@JohnDought]

Oldskool rules ;) Touchscreen in cars can be very dangerous.

[@Sho-td8wg]

What about loss of night adaptation by having a large light source in the car.

[@BarryWaterlow]

*Governments need to pass laws improving car safety.*

[@oppenz3723]

Thankfully my cheap new toyota car doesn't rely on "infotainment unit" so I can change it to analog one. It's simple old reliable, just what I need in my vehicle. I don't need "features", I need a car that works day in day out and easily repaired.

[@illuminaughty2929]

I hate it when my gaming, movie watching or live streaming is interrupted when I need adjust the climate controls.

[@SquizzMe]

I swear consumers can be such children. They wanna have every corner of their ego spoiled and indulged.

[@alexg963]

Anyone who’s driven a car with an all-touch interface should be able to tell it’s not as a safe as analog controls. It is undeniably more difficult (or often impossible) to use without taking your eyes off the road. I, unfortunately, think some regulation around requiring certain features to have analog controls may be the only way to mitigate this issue, especially with the incentives that touchscreens provide to manufacturers, as they mention in the video. I have no issue with touchscreens themselves, but they are just not good when driving a car. It’s the same reason we still use mechanical keyboards and mice-we’re not looking at the input controls while using them. And that’s only for when we’re sitting at a desk, not driving massive hunks of metal at high speeds! It’s one of the few times I can recall really advocating for moving our tech “backwards,” but progress is not always good for its own sake.

[@crm1225]

I love the idea of touch screens, but as an addition to scroll wheels. Touch screens are usually located for ease of reach, so you have to basically look away from the road vs scroll wheel screens are generally at eye level and more in your peripheral vision. Newer BMWs do a nice job with location and usability

[@jordanslingluff287]

Nothing like an idiot in an SUV that can't see anything around them heavily distracted by scrolling through a touch screen out on the road.

[@vaderwashere365]

I would agree that Tesla vehicles overdo the touch screens. You have to do so much screen navigation to get to some simple adjustments. I still prefer a combination of touchscreen and physical buttons, but that isn't the aesthetic some people are looking for. Integrating voice commands and haptic or other physical feedback should help, but people get distracted by just about anything. I like the idea of having multiple ways of adjusting the climate, radio, etc. Steering wheel controls + centered physical buttons + touchscreen have really worked well for me. Edit: Also, many people like to actually drive... auto pilot style driving is only wanted by a portion of the population and is too expensive for many, so it is only part of the solution.

[@chrisfriends7911]

Tesla has the best voice command feature. Can do everything by voice.

[@LWWM]

I recently got a loaner car while mine was being fixed. I literally chose one radio station and never touched it again. How dangerous!

[@tdrm]

You can also just shoot an automatic rifle only once in a shooting range.

[@peternystrom921]

Why? Maybe do the Settings before driving or when you are stuck in trafic

[@timbo389]

Vehicle manufacturers and designers should have done more research to determine the safety of touchscreens. I’ll take a couple hundred controls and dozens of gauges over a touchscreen any day. Yeah, my truck has a more primitive touch screen audio display, but it is easy to navigate, mostly because it has buttons and knobs around it. It’s well-thought out and is relatively safe.

[@bobroberts2371]

Touch screens are what sells a car . . . in the showroom.

[@pfunklife9379]

If touch screens are better than "tactile" knobs and levers, how come the controls to move your seat are not on the touchscreen?

[@brianmoore2735]

Don't give them any ideas. The Porsche Taycan already uses the touchscreen to control the direction of the heat+ac vents.

[@joeking433]

I hate touch screens PERIOD! Sometimes the click works, sometimes it doesn't. Leaves you with an insecure feeling. Definitely not something you want to muck with in a car!

[@orangejjay]

I've actually decided to keep my 2018 vehicle because there's still buttons in it. Until automakers get back to buttons, I'll keep going for cars that have physical, tactile buttons.

[@bryunmsimango2632]

It's not about the most innovative its about the most effective. Tactile buttons can be memorized thus increasing road safety. Almost everyone can operate their TV remote without even looking because the buttons are familiar. This is why the blind use braille to read. Yes it is more expensive but it is definitely more effective. This alone should be cause to stop going down this route.

[@tomking1890]

Take a look at airliner screens. Yes, they have them, but none are touch screen. Pilots need knobs and buttons. Case closed.

[@davidtucker3538]

Eventually the touchscreen will cost as much as the engine to replace.

[@avonfettydale9166]

Sooner than later

[@BigD4446]

My touchscreen is an older model, but it has little to do with what’s happening on the roadways. A tactile response would help with some of these issues. Personally I would expand the voice command while mobile. Personalize the tactile response. “JARVIS, play Cruisin’ by Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow.” “Abby Cadabby, set the GPS for “The Railway of Death Museum.” The touchscreen isn’t flawed, just not designed correctly. There is a lot more going into car accidents than some people think…

[@TarikDaniel]

Some people...?

[@jaydibernardo4320]

By the comments section here the vast majority of people prefer knobs & buttons for repeated tasks like HVAC controls or the radio. I 100% agree. Common sense time: If it's illegal to text & drive how safe is it to use a touchscreen while driving? In both instances you're taking your eyes off the road for a number of seconds. I believe we will have more accidents due to this as most drivers think they are better drivers then they really are. There is no substitute for having your eyes looking through the windshield. Things happen pretty quickly & that second or two makes all the difference in the world.

[@bobroberts2371]

Bob Lutz ( GM and Chrysler ) had said in an article on touch screens that you really can't improve on a radio that has a knob for volume, knob for station selection / Heat - AC that has a knob for temperature, a knob for blower speed and a knob for where the air comes out.

[@Diptentu]

Thanks for raising the concern, it's really important

[@sigfreed11]

I want a backup camera and that’s it as far as tech. Coming from an electrical engineer who loves tech. Give me physical buttons and limited computer “stuff” while I am driving to keep me safe. Once the car does all the driving, then give me all the fun tech gadgets!

[@lagautmd]

One thing about Hyundai's cars (I hope this is still the case with 2022/23 vehicles) is that for the most critical and commonly used features like climate control, emergency flashers, cruise control, and much of the control of the radio, are all on buttons that do not change function. I loathe the day that there are no options for button control of commonly adjusted features.

[@chrisfriends7911]

Tesla has the best voice command to use pretty much for everything.

[@michaelkovalsky4907]

Personally I like a hybrid of having main controls be touch, but the infotainment itself can still be valuable. The approach Kia/Hyundai are taking with leveraging their side cameras to show the blind spot in the dash is brilliant, voice control is excellent especially with how much superior AppleMaps/GoogleMaps are to w.e vomit OEMs put in as a default.

[@bryanpascual3543]

Imagine you can’t shift your car into drive because an OTA software update is needed and you’re in the middle of nowhere

[@chrisfriends7911]

Cars never update when driving. Over night with a Tesla. Or can tell it when you want to update. OEM cars require taking car to the dealer.

[@SLiX-thatguy11m-]

Thank you Jake Fisher. We need to keep some physical buttons and I think knobs are one of the most crucial interfaces, not only for volume, but for climate control as well. This was already evident when companies moves away from knobs to touch buttons, what more touchscreens with features buried in menus. Android Auto (and Apple Carplay) is a definitely a dealbreaker for me now, but that's all I want to have on my screen now. I think the interfaces with interact with should not have to be there. Maybe keep specific settings you'd normally operate while not driving in there, but again, nothing you need on the fly.

[@walli6388]

You an use buttons without watching. Touchscreens should be banned because you actually can't use them without getting distracted in a way which isn't allowed. (Your technically doing sth illegal by using them while driving.)

[@VikesFan17]

As a tesla model x owner I’ve had no problem with the giant touchscreen in the middle of the vehicle.

[@annoyedok321]

I'm amazed at how much useless information I have in front of me in the gauge cluster. The best speedometer I've used is the size of a postage stamp. I could easily see using steering wheel controls with a screen in the gauge cluster.

[@spiffyh]

At the very least they should add voice control for the functions. "increase radio volume" "lower cabin temperature" That sort of thing. Trying to find something to change on a screen seems very dangerous.

[@joeking433]

Yeah, you would think they would be putting more attention to voice control than stupid touchscreen menus!

[@islandprincess9666]

The simple solution add voice control to control the touch screen so that you can keep your eyes on the road and use a voice command to control the a/c etc.

[@scottmcshannon6821]

most customers will not buy a vehicle without large infotainment systems. they are not going away. it all started with backup cameras.

[@tah6746]

No Sale for me in that case.

[@tempest411]

If you have a problem with these things they cost THOUSANDS to replace. Better to just look at a map before you hit the road (on your phone or a paper map), and use a standard single-DIN sized radio for entertainment. That's how I get by driving the older cars I have (daily driver is an '87 Porsche 924S), and I'm wanting for anything more.

[@katzgar]

the only company that survived the transition from horse and buggy to ICE was Studebaker

[@jbar_85]

In my Mazda, as soon as the car starts moving it locks the screen out. You have to now use the knob. In the new Mazda’s they do not have touch screen available. Some people complain about that but they’re doing it for safety.

[@Tysard]

I remember many years ago there was a video or something about a phone where the screed had this weird liquit layer over it. When your keyboard would was active, each key would physically pop out of the screen. It looked like bubble wrap and I don't think the phone ever actually came out but I feel like that tech could be useful when it comes to car touch screens. My main issue with the touch screen in my car is hitting the buttons on the first try while driving so I have to look at the screen to hit the target and I'm sure I'm not the only one that has this problem. Being able to actually feel the button would at least solve this issue and I wouldn't even have to look at the screen over time. I definitely prefer physical buttons but I hope companies continue to look for creative solutions to the touch screen while driving issue.

[@ashwinbalu]

The repairing process is a easy in an old cars than the modern cars that were released after 2010

[@tiptonbrett]

The basic controls needed (like volume knob, tuning, track forward and back, and HVAC controls) should be hard buttons, levers, or knobs. More advanced features (such as text messages or entering GPS coordinates) could be touchscreen, but should be disabled when the vehicle is moving, because there are people out there dumb enough to try to use those while driving. Talking on the phone (even through voice control) should be turned off when the vehicle is moving--again too distracting. Obviously, quite a few consumers will fight having features turned off when driving, because they somehow think they're such a highly skilled driver they can use them while driving. So, it will probably take government regulations so the auto manufacturers simply have no choice but to turn off certain functions while the vehicle is moving.

[@dbclass4075]

Maybe allow touchscreen when there is front passenger. But again, people will try to trick the system with a heavy toolbox.

[@AntTonyLOLKID]

I think the solution could be a movable/magnetic knob, like the one that Windows have on their own desktops for artists. Just stick the knob on the screen and twist. Maybe the car version would be to slide it around the screen for different functions (i.e. top right is volume, top left is music, bottom is the climate control etc)

[@willyhwang1059]

idiots are already distracted enough by their phones and starbucks coffees, now you want to them navigate multiple screens while driving? do we need multiple hands?

[@luvurobert]

And multiple eyes! I hate this infotainment garbage!

[@wdmfan]

Lg was developing pretty cool gesture based technology for smart phones, that could've revolutionized infotainment. Where you just do gesture of turning the knob (in air) and volume goes up or down (like magneto). Sadly, it was scrapped along with Lg smartphone division.