So, I was driving the other day and had to fiddle with the climate controls on a friend’s new car. It took me way too long to find the right menu on that glossy touchscreen while trying to keep my eyes on the road. It got me wondering are these sleek, all-in-one dashboards actually a step backward for driver safety? I mean, with a physical knob or button, you can develop muscle memory and adjust things without really looking. But with a touchscreen, it often demands your visual attention, even for simple tasks like turning up the heat or changing the radio station.
From my work, I’m used to focusing intensely on fine details, but that’s in a controlled setting. On the road, that kind of divided attention seems risky. Has anyone else felt this shift is more distracting? I’m curious if there’s good data on this, or if it’s mostly anecdotal. What’s your experience been like?