Using dashboard touchscreens while driving can significantly reduce safety, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Washington and the Toyota Research Institute. The study found that drivers have difficulty multitasking when interacting with touch-based vehicle controls, even during relatively simple tasks.
Although the tests were focused on automobiles, the results regarding safety would be especially relevant to RVers who drive big motorhomes or tow trailers and fifth wheels with trucks, SUVs or other vehicles.
Researchers placed participants in a driving simulator and asked them to complete common touchscreen actions such as adjusting settings while also performing memory tasks designed to simulate real-world mental distractions.
Perhaps not a big surprise, results showed that drivers using touchscreens drifted more within their lanes and showed poorer vehicle control compared to when they were focused solely on driving.
At the same time, drivers were slower and made more mistakes when using the touchscreen, especially when their mental workload increased. The findings suggest that both driving performance and task accuracy suffer when attention is divided between the road and an in-dash screen.
Eye-tracking and motion data revealed why: Touchscreens require drivers to look away from the road, unlike physical knobs or buttons that can often be operated by feel. Researchers say this added visual demand increases cognitive load and reduces situational awareness.
The study’s authors say their findings could help guide the design of safer vehicle interfaces, including improved voice controls, adaptive displays, or better driver-monitoring systems.
For RVers, who often drive larger vehicles for long periods, reducing in-cab distractions may be especially important for staying safe on the road.
Your thoughts are welcome. Please leave a comment.
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RVT1244b
I have a touchscreen in our motorhome, but I leave it to my co-pilot to mess with it and also the other controls as I prefer to keep both hands on my 38ft diesel pusher while driving. That is what a co-pilot is for to answer questions and to navigate for you.
I and many others have been saying that for years. We just didn’t get a few thousand or million dollars to do it. Weathermen and women get paid to tell you it’s raining when the street is wet. However, it is nice to know when a hurricane is coming.
Could not agree with you more. When I taught Driver Education we constantly enforced the dangers of distracted driving. Cell phones are distracted driving. How do you read a road map on a screen without taking your eyes off the road? They should be voice only when the car is in motion. Guess the safety guys don’t talk to the manufacturers enough or someone is getting paid off.
The screen in my 2015 Silverado comes up with “Taking your eyes off the road may cause an accident”. Really? I have to take my eyes off the road to read it. Plus, I have to reach over and hit the OK button.
The DIS on my wife’s Tucson, chimes and shows “Take a Break”.
Instead of making vehicles safer, they are adding built in distractions.
You have to look down to read it!!!!
I could not agree MORE, Bob. 100% on the same page. The sensory overload and distractions while driving, and NOT from a phone or screaming kids, but from the actual automobile one drives, has become obscene.
😎✌️
I agree Bob. Just got a 2026 small Hyundai. I am getting used to the annoying messages from the vehicle (and ignore most of them), but it is a BIG distraction to try to turn down the fan on the air conditioning when you can “feel” the button to do so. Pretty much have to have everything set to what you might want before you pull out on the road. At least my older truck that pulls my RV trailer does not have any of this new stuff.
I definitely agree with the ‘touch’ buttons being almost impossible to see and use while driving. Heck, I have a hard time using them even as the passenger.
Their placement requires you to reach for them.
At least her car has automatic climate control, which works fairly well.
The other thing is all the buttons and switches grouped together on the steering wheel.
I think a better idea would have been to use voice control and buttons as backup. Press one button and tell the vehicle what you want to adjust. Like Alexa and Siri.
Bob, we have a 2016 Silverado…well really it’s DW’s pickup. She says what you said almost word for word! I let her know she’s not the only one that says that! 😆
This is a no brainer.
I couldn’t agree more. Our pickup has typical knobs for the HVAC and radio and I don’t have to look away from the road to make an adjustment. We got a new EV and it’s all touch screens and I can’t even adjust the temperature without having to look at a screen. Whoever thought this was a good idea couldn’t be more wrong. Give me knobs!
DUHH!
This study confirms what we already knew and observe on a daily basis when going down the road.
They make it illegal to play with your cell phone while driving then they put in a bigger more confusing screen that you “NEED” to play with while driving. Someone has their brain in a very dark place – the trouble is that it is sold as an improvement.
My old VW had a Speedo and optional gas gauge. It seemed to function ok.
Driving is a full time job and that’s where you should be focused. Any distractions and you’re not doing your job properly.
3 different brand “modern” vehicles all with different touchscreen designs and implementation.
Same with the smart steering wheels.
Have to think about which vehicle you are driving.
The tow vehicle for our single-axle TT is a 2020 Subaru Ascent. During routine maintenance I was given a 2025 Outback. About barfed with the integration of nearly all electronics into a non-haptic (no non-visual feedback) touch screen. I couldn’t make an adjustment requiring 3 taps without staring at the screen for every touch. I understand many vehicle manufacturers have heard the screams (probably via On-Star after the crash) and are returning to physical switches for many functions.
The screen in the Ram is perfect if you’re a midget sitting in the middle. Never use the “map” on it. Rather use an RV Garmin with suction cup and mount just off my line of sight on top of the dash.
What our world needs is a few CEO’s that respond to their engineers with “I know you can, but don’t!”
The info panel in our Ram dually is the size of a Tesla screen and far more distracting than a cell phone. By the time you add a Garmin nav and a tire monitor device, the cockpit becomes a video arcade!
The main reason touchscreens are taking over probably boils down to cheaper cost for the manufacturer. I hate to say it, but this probably requires legislation to fix.
Drove a Tesla Y for two years and sold it for the very reason the article points out. To change almost all of the functions you had to look at the huge touch screen in the middle of the dashboard forcing you to take your eyes off the road. Came close to hitting other cars on the road, too many times. Just too dangerous.
My 2025 Toyota RAV4 SE is mostly touchscreen. While my 2024 RAM 2500 Laramie has essential steering wheel controls. Which is the safest vehicle!
I’d like to know why this research and study wasn’t done before this obscene distraction was ever put into a vehicle! My guess is this is a stepping stone to eliminate the boredom of just sitting while your car drives you around – hands and brain free! Like following a GPS command into a lake or dark alley. Certainly can’t be any sort of safety concern requiring off road eyeballs! I tho’t cell fones were bad -Wow! glad I don’t have a touch screen, or a cell phone, turned on in the car.
Speaking of cell fones: I was on I-29, in my car a couple days ago; as I approached an overpass on ramp I noted a semi turning onto the on-ramp from the overpass, so I moved to the left lane to allow him space to accelerate. This is a two lane road! A woman following the semi decides to pass it – with the semi in the right lane and me in the left lane! Our front fenders were within an inch or two of colliding at 65 mph! I took to the left snow filled ditch to avoid the collision – she finally braked and backed off. She had no idea I was there – never looked over, never looked in her mirror either. License was mud covered so I couldn’t read it! Unconscious! No cell use in ND!
I agree and have said as much for years. That’s why states like GA crack me up. All kinds of signs when you enter about how you are NOT ALLOWED to hold your cell phone. So I can mount it in some bracket and do everything I want, while still being legal. Same with built-in screens. Our car, 2019 Ford Escape, I can do almost everything, including reading the songs/artists for the USB Flash Drive I have installed, most functions in GPS. EXCEPT, I cannot type in an address “for safety reasons”. Even though I could, and usually do, have a passenger who could enter that. But no, totally locked out of that functionality.
I put both issues in the “govt/companies have to pass a law or put in place restrictions, just so they are seen to be doing SOMETHING”.
My wife’s 2015 Lexus 300ESh does have a info screen mounted in the center of the dash, but it’s not a touch-screen. It is controlled by a “mouse” type controller that’s mounted on the console well within the reach of my right hand. Unfortunately, even though I don’t have to reach over to manipulate the screen as you do with a touch screen, I do have to take my eyes off the road to insure that I am directing the curser (operated by the mouse) is going where I want it to. My 2000 Tundra has all knobs and large dials
that are easily reached and function determine by feel and location. Never have to take my eyes off the road.
Not all vehicle “touchscreens” are created equal. A lot of them you can use voice control over the touch. There is also the controls on the steering wheel.
These comments should be forwarded to car companies so they will understand why some folks will simply refuse to buy some future vehicles. Full voice command is the only acceptable way to go.
Now the useless crap that manufacturers are forcing on us has become the dangerous crap….Our Class C has touch screen but I’ve learned to ignore it until we get stopped and off the road.
Thank you for sharing the study results and implied suggestions, RV Travel. Our towed vehicle was replaced in late November and my own experiences are comparable. My lack of familiarity with the new vehicle’s controls emphasized the necessity of learning where the buttons are, what they do, and of choosing the touch-screen settings to minimize my need to adjust them while driving. I do wonder to what extent the study subjects had time to familiarize themselves with the touch-screen settings and locations of various aspects? I do agree with the implication that touch screens are best when used while stationary and not in motion. Have a great week and safe travels!
We can complain all we want here but that will not force automakers, especially Tesla, to do the correct thing. That is about the only thing I dislike about my Tesla.