Automakers Admit That Drivers Hate Touchscreens

When did cars start getting touchscreens?

Touchscreens have become increasingly popular in modern cars. 97% of new vehicles sold globally have at least one screen on their dashboards.

Touchscreens aren't just included to make a car look more modern. It is a low-cost approach to building a car's interior. Experts believe that carmakers may purchase touchscreens at a lesser cost than traditional buttons, lowering the entire vehicle's price.

But recently, many automobile manufacturers have been removing touchscreens and bringing back buttons.

What’s the reason for getting rid of touchscreens?

Using a touchscreen while driving is risky since it takes the driver's attention away from the road for up to 40 seconds. Even though 40 seconds doesn’t seem long, this distraction can endanger the driver, passengers, and pedestrians.

While driving, a driver must be totally aware of their surroundings. Looking away from the road to use a touchscreen can result in a serious accident.

Car manufacturers are removing touchscreens from their vehicles because of complaints from consumers. Many drivers prefer buttons to screens. Thankfully, the car companies have listened to their concerns and are making the required changes.

What are car manufacturers doing about this?

Due to safety concerns, car manufacturers such as Porsche and Hyundai are bringing back the use of buttons in their vehicles. Customers do not want features that could endanger them.

So, car makers have taken note and are getting rid of over-engineered products.

Is over-engineering bad?

Over-engineering is the process of adding more features and functions to a product than is necessary. This can result in poor efficiency, increased costs, maintenance difficulties, and resource waste.

To guarantee that products and systems function properly, they should be designed with only the required functions. A fridge, for example, should simply offer the features required for storing and keeping food fresh. Adding touchscreens and cameras to it can raise the price of a refrigerator and may not be useful for everyone.

Spending more money on an over-engineered product makes little sense when we can choose simple and inexpensive products that meet our demands.