Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Advocacy & Safety
Reload this Page >

Touch screen distraction.

Notices
Advocacy & Safety Cyclists should expect and demand safe accommodation on every public road, just as do all other users. Discuss your bicycle advocacy and safety concerns here.

Touch screen distraction.

Old 07-27-19, 06:53 AM
  #1  
genec
genec
Thread Starter
 
genec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079

Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times in 3,158 Posts
Touch screen distraction.

I believe I mentioned this quite some time ago. Now a study has been done. And Jeeze... really... if you take your eyes off the road, you ARE GONNA MISS SOMETHING! Yet car company after car company has installed these damn "infotainment system touch screens" that allow the driver to manage everything from vehicle climate, to sound, to GPS, to heck, even games. In many cases there are alternative controls, but these are often so small, and complex in marking or arrangement... that drivers are still distracted. The concept of a Keep It Simple dashboard was thrown out long long ago. The notion of being able to reach blindly for certain controls and make adjustments that had tactile feedback went right out the window with the introduction of the infotainment touch screen.

The touch screen systems in new vehicles are distracting, increasing the risk of accidents. That's according to a new study from the University of Utah. Researchers say all 30 systems they tested cause some level of driver distraction. A prominent safety advocate says automakers can make their systems safer by preventing drivers from using certain features when the car is moving.
https://www.npr.org/2017/10/09/55670...-doing-to-help

Those whiz-bang tech bells and whistles in your new car are cool and all — but they also may be keeping your eyes off the road for dangerously long stretches of time.

That’s according to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which found that the information and entertainment systems in many new cars can distract drivers for as long as 40-plus seconds at a time. According to AAA, removing your eyes from the road for only two seconds doubles the risk of an accident. The study, conducted for AAA by researchers from the University of Utah, took both voice-based and touch screen features into account, gauging the visual and cognitive demands required to operate infotainment systems in 30 new 2017 vehicles.
https://www.aarp.org/auto/info-2017/...driver-fd.html

Participants were tasked with using interactive technologies to make a phone call, send a text message, find a radio station and program the navigation system, all while driving. Navigation proved to be the most time intensive, requiring drivers to take their eyes off the road for an average of 40 seconds. In that time, a car driving at 25 miles per hour would travel the length of four football fields — essentially driving blind. Though some automakers address this distraction by disabling navigation programming while the car is in motion, nearly half of the models tested allowed it.
Gee, did you just take the lane in front of that motorist that was just looking to see where the next turn to their destination is supposed to be...

Even the automakers are finally becoming aware of the problems with touch screens....
Ford plans to restore buttons and knobs to its high-tech dashboards, after drivers complained that touchscreen-centric infotainment systems made common tasks like adjusting volume demand too much attention. The car company still maintains that its SYNC and MyFord Touch systems, which see increasingly large LCD displays take center-stage in the dashboard, are popular among drivers, with 79-percent of new 2013 cars sold featuring the systems.
https://www.slashgear.com/ford-bring...ears-17286673/

Last edited by genec; 07-27-19 at 03:47 PM.
genec is offline  
Likes For genec:
Old 07-28-19, 06:25 AM
  #2  
Moe Zhoost
Half way there
 
Moe Zhoost's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,955

Bikes: Many, and the list changes frequently

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 985 Post(s)
Liked 879 Times in 526 Posts
I rented a car that had a navigation system mounted in the lower center dash "information screen". I was significantly bothered about having to look down all the time to get updates so after a half hour I mounted my own GPS on the windshield where I could monitor without dropping my eyes from the road.
Moe Zhoost is online now  
Old 07-28-19, 03:30 PM
  #3  
genec
genec
Thread Starter
 
genec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079

Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times in 3,158 Posts
Originally Posted by Moe Zhoost
I rented a car that had a navigation system mounted in the lower center dash "information screen". I was significantly bothered about having to look down all the time to get updates so after a half hour I mounted my own GPS on the windshield where I could monitor without dropping my eyes from the road.
I think the thing that is the most annoying, is that each car maker has their own OS, or at least UI and interface... the only commonality is the need to access certain functions by the user... how that is done can require reading a very thick manual.

Imagine if automobile makers had decided to have different locations for things like turn signal lever, gas pedal, brake... just to name a few. This is somewhat like the differences users may face with these convoluted touch screen UIs.
genec is offline  
Old 07-28-19, 06:29 PM
  #4  
mr_bill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,529
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2111 Post(s)
Liked 663 Times in 443 Posts
Originally Posted by genec
Imagine if automobile makers had decided to have different locations for things like turn signal lever, gas pedal, brake... just to name a few. This is somewhat like the differences users may face with these convoluted touch screen UIs.
Uh, never driven anti-clockwise? Stick is on the left, but the H isn’t mirrored. Clutch still on the left, brake in the middle, accelerator on the right (ok,why?) but turn signals and wipers are flippy flippied.

(BTW, new zoom zooms won’t let you touch the touch screen while driving. Not quite right. You can touch them but they don’t do anything)

-mr. bill
mr_bill is offline  
Old 07-29-19, 04:59 AM
  #5  
bakerjw
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: NE Tennessee
Posts: 917

Bikes: Giant TCR/Surly Karate Monkey/Foundry FireTower/Curtlo Tandem

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 169 Post(s)
Liked 84 Times in 62 Posts
I cannot count the number of buttons on the steering wheel of my new Jeep Cherokee or Ford F-150. I do know that they are a bit different and it'd be nice if there was a standard.

Much of what is on the center touch screen is pure fluff. Anything that I need to know to operate the vehicle is available in the center part of the instrument cluster. That said, too many people focus on the fluff while driving. Distracted driving certainly puts us all at risk.
bakerjw is offline  
Old 07-29-19, 05:00 AM
  #6  
genec
genec
Thread Starter
 
genec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079

Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times in 3,158 Posts
Originally Posted by mr_bill
Uh, never driven anti-clockwise? Stick is on the left, but the H isn’t mirrored. Clutch still on the left, brake in the middle, accelerator on the right (ok,why?) but turn signals and wipers are flippy flippied.

(BTW, new zoom zooms won’t let you touch the touch screen while driving. Not quite right. You can touch them but they don’t do anything)

-mr. bill
Yup, drove CCW down in the Cayman Islands back in the 80's; took a few minutes, but it all seemed quite natural after a short bit. No heavy traffic there though... so it really was easy.

Now try that arrangement with the steering wheel on the left. Then change the wheel to a mouse, keep the stick shift, but move it to your left hand, on the dashboard, change the shift pattern entirely. Put the clutch in between the brake and gas, and drive by peering into a mirror. Put the radio in the back seat. Then drive unfamiliar roads.

Enjoy your drive.
genec is offline  
Old 07-29-19, 02:00 PM
  #7  
adablduya
Full Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 334
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 121 Post(s)
Liked 12 Times in 8 Posts
yeah, isn't this the irony of it all ?? all this talk about distracted driving, and every new car and truck has an engineered and designed distraction built-in. go figure ......
adablduya is offline  
Likes For adablduya:
Old 07-29-19, 03:52 PM
  #8  
genec
genec
Thread Starter
 
genec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079

Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times in 3,158 Posts
Originally Posted by adablduya
yeah, isn't this the irony of it all ?? all this talk about distracted driving, and every new car and truck has an engineered and designed distraction built-in. go figure ......
Exactly!!!

And yet nobody seemed to notice...SHEESH.

Well, a damn study had to be done... I mean, really?!?! DUH!

OK so at least Ford seems to have noticed... but holy crap... #tooklongenough
genec is offline  
Likes For genec:
Old 07-29-19, 07:01 PM
  #9  
BengalCat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Brentwood WLA
Posts: 326

Bikes: 50/34, 11-40, 11 Speed

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 142 Post(s)
Liked 73 Times in 52 Posts
It probably will never happen but the best future outcome would incorporate a lot, not all, functions into a Heads-Up-Display.
BengalCat is offline  
Likes For BengalCat:
Old 07-29-19, 07:30 PM
  #10  
Digger Goreman
Quidam Bike Super Hero
 
Digger Goreman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Stone Mountain, GA (Metro Atlanta, East)
Posts: 1,150

Bikes: 1995 Trek 800 Sport, aka, "CamelTrek"

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 331 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times in 282 Posts
Same major intersection in Metro Atlanta. Outbound trip (I'm forced to do this part of route for 1-2 mins) inattentive driver enters from turn lane while looking down. Return route, I line for the intersection crossing, bright clothes and BRIGHT flashing light... two distracted gasholes turn in front of me (I'm going straight) looking at who knows what, but not me or the road. Airzounded them both and got the panicked "oh spit!" look from the trailing driver as she finally looked up from whatever is more important than my life....
Digger Goreman is offline  
Old 07-29-19, 08:19 PM
  #11  
genec
genec
Thread Starter
 
genec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079

Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times in 3,158 Posts
Personally, I like using my cell phone in unfamiliar areas for GPS. I set up my destination while sitting in the airport parking lot. (not the garage, where GPS doesn't work.) Then I put it on audio, and let it voice guide me while I watch traffic and read the damn signs. The latter is particularly important... no amount of "instant update" is going to be good enough to know that some road is closed right now due to a pipe break that just took place.

And, I am watching where I am going, and getting familiar with where I am... oh yeah, and most importantly, watching traffic.

No, this isn't perfect... but I can always pull over and reset the whole darn thing.

Funny thing, not more than 5 weeks ago I was driving a Ford Mustang... darn thing wanted to install software while I was driving. Uh, not the time Ford. Had something to do with their SYNC system. I happened to know that particular highway route, and managed to just turn off my phone until later.
genec is offline  
Old 07-29-19, 08:38 PM
  #12  
Daniel4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,497

Bikes: Sekine 1979 ten speed racer

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1477 Post(s)
Liked 637 Times in 436 Posts
Originally Posted by adablduya
yeah, isn't this the irony of it all ?? all this talk about distracted driving, and every new car and truck has an engineered and designed distraction built-in. go figure ......
This happens all the time. Manufacturers just ignore the concerns of society. And then when politicians finally step in, these same corporations and their lobby groups come up with their own study showing there is no evidence of a link between "x" and "y".

Historically x and y were:
Smoking and lung cancer
Leaded paint and leaded gasoline and lead poisoning
Greenhouse gases and global warming

And soon it will be distracted driving and road fatalities.
Daniel4 is offline  
Likes For Daniel4:
Old 07-29-19, 10:06 PM
  #13  
GamblerGORD53
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Elevation 666m Edmonton Canada
Posts: 2,457

Bikes: 2013 Custom SA5w / Rohloff Tourster

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1222 Post(s)
Liked 314 Times in 241 Posts
Well I just suckered myself into buying one..... THE safest car on the road too.
They now have radar control for lanes, blind spot and braking. So now you CAN take your eyes off and the car will beep and slam on the brakes. Happened to me already today. 2 wrongs made a right. LOL
Yesterday I went for a highway drive and the line control was rather poor, for the left side anyway. They say rain and dirt affects the ability.

So I don't see how robot cars will work in winter, pouring rain, snowing or dust storms.
GamblerGORD53 is online now  
Old 07-30-19, 04:42 AM
  #14  
genec
genec
Thread Starter
 
genec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079

Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times in 3,158 Posts
Originally Posted by GamblerGORD53
Well I just suckered myself into buying one..... THE safest car on the road too.
They now have radar control for lanes, blind spot and braking. So now you CAN take your eyes off and the car will beep and slam on the brakes. Happened to me already today. 2 wrongs made a right. LOL
Yesterday I went for a highway drive and the line control was rather poor, for the left side anyway. They say rain and dirt affects the ability.

So I don't see how robot cars will work in winter, pouring rain, snowing or dust storms.
Yeah, I don't either... but humans don't fare so well in those conditions either.

genec is offline  
Old 07-30-19, 12:34 PM
  #15  
bikecrate
Senior Member
 
bikecrate's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: LF, APMAT
Posts: 2,752
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 623 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 395 Times in 225 Posts
I suspect the automakers don't put this stuff in out of the goodness of their hearts. It is because consumers want it. In other words, the enemy is us (some of us anyways).
bikecrate is offline  
Likes For bikecrate:
Old 07-30-19, 12:58 PM
  #16  
Paul Barnard
For The Fun of It
 
Paul Barnard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Louisissippi Coast
Posts: 5,844

Bikes: Lynskey GR300, Lynskey Backroad, Litespeed T6, Lynskey MT29, Burley Duet

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2131 Post(s)
Liked 1,639 Times in 822 Posts
Originally Posted by bakerjw
I cannot count the number of buttons on the steering wheel of my new Jeep Cherokee or Ford F-150. I do know that they are a bit different and it'd be nice if there was a standard.

Much of what is on the center touch screen is pure fluff. Anything that I need to know to operate the vehicle is available in the center part of the instrument cluster. That said, too many people focus on the fluff while driving. Distracted driving certainly puts us all at risk.
I drew a Ford Fusion Hybrid from the motor pool a year or so ago. It had over 70 buttons.
Paul Barnard is offline  
Old 07-30-19, 01:12 PM
  #17  
Paul Barnard
For The Fun of It
 
Paul Barnard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Louisissippi Coast
Posts: 5,844

Bikes: Lynskey GR300, Lynskey Backroad, Litespeed T6, Lynskey MT29, Burley Duet

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2131 Post(s)
Liked 1,639 Times in 822 Posts
Driving itself is a full of distractions. Reading road signage, for example is part of the driving experience, but it does draw your attention away from the physical part of driving. I have driven through Dallas twice in the past month. I am not familiar with Dallas. I did use my phone for voice navigation, but I also had to watch the signage to include speed limit signs. At no point in my travels was I less in tune with the big picture than when I was in heavy traffic in unfamiliar Dallas trying to find my way.

It is possible to safely use the infotainment system. It is possible to safely manipulate one of the 70+ buttons. It is possible to safely make a phone call. It is possible to safely listen to the radio. It is possible to safely have a conversation with a passenger. It is possible to safely hand a snack back to your child. And I dare say it is possible to safely send a text. It is not safe to become consumed by or lost in those distractions.
Paul Barnard is offline  
Old 07-30-19, 01:24 PM
  #18  
mr_bill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,529
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2111 Post(s)
Liked 663 Times in 443 Posts
Originally Posted by Paul Barnard
And I dare say it is possible to safely send a text.

48 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands disagree with you.

Missouri bans young and/or inexperienced drivers from texting while driving.

Montana agrees with you, sort of.

Billings, Bozeman, Columbia Falls, Hamilton, Great Falls, and Whitefish ban all handheld cell phone use.

Outside of those jurisdictions in Montana, it’s literally go ahead and knock yourself out (or worse).


-mr. bill
mr_bill is offline  
Old 07-31-19, 05:06 AM
  #19  
genec
genec
Thread Starter
 
genec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079

Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times in 3,158 Posts
Originally Posted by Paul Barnard
Driving itself is a full of distractions. Reading road signage, for example is part of the driving experience, but it does draw your attention away from the physical part of driving. I have driven through Dallas twice in the past month. I am not familiar with Dallas. I did use my phone for voice navigation, but I also had to watch the signage to include speed limit signs. At no point in my travels was I less in tune with the big picture than when I was in heavy traffic in unfamiliar Dallas trying to find my way.

It is possible to safely use the infotainment system. It is possible to safely manipulate one of the 70+ buttons. It is possible to safely make a phone call. It is possible to safely listen to the radio. It is possible to safely have a conversation with a passenger. It is possible to safely hand a snack back to your child. And I dare say it is possible to safely send a text. It is not safe to become consumed by or lost in those distractions.
So, let me get this straight... in YOUR opinion, reading the signs OUTSIDE your car, on the roadway, giving roadway instruction, are distracting... but reading small text, inside your car, dealing with non driving subjects, is not distracting.... OOOOKAAAYY. Right. Got it.

#realitycheck
genec is offline  
Likes For genec:
Old 07-31-19, 05:31 AM
  #20  
Paul Barnard
For The Fun of It
 
Paul Barnard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Louisissippi Coast
Posts: 5,844

Bikes: Lynskey GR300, Lynskey Backroad, Litespeed T6, Lynskey MT29, Burley Duet

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2131 Post(s)
Liked 1,639 Times in 822 Posts
Originally Posted by genec
So, let me get this straight... in YOUR opinion, reading the signs OUTSIDE your car, on the roadway, giving roadway instruction, are distracting... but reading small text, inside your car, dealing with non driving subjects, is not distracting.... OOOOKAAAYY. Right. Got it.

#realitycheck

You read into it. Almost all common distractions can be managed safely. That includes reading my phone screen.
Paul Barnard is offline  
Old 07-31-19, 06:00 AM
  #21  
genec
genec
Thread Starter
 
genec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
Posts: 27,079

Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13658 Post(s)
Liked 4,532 Times in 3,158 Posts
Originally Posted by Paul Barnard
You read into it. Almost all common distractions can be managed safely. That includes reading my phone screen.
There are nearly 6 MILLION traffic collisions a year... seems to me that a lot of motorists can barely "manage" to drive, much less "manage" another "distraction."

Originally Posted by NHTSA
“In 2006, there were an estimated 5,973,000 police-reported traffic crashes, in which 42,642 people were killed and 2,575,000 people were injured; 4,189,000 crashes involved property damage only.”
genec is offline  
Old 07-31-19, 06:04 AM
  #22  
gregf83 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9,201
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1186 Post(s)
Liked 289 Times in 177 Posts
Originally Posted by BengalCat
It probably will never happen but the best future outcome would incorporate a lot, not all, functions into a Heads-Up-Display.
HUD for vehicles has been around for close to 20 yrs but never seems to catch on for some reason. It’s available on some new cars but not many.

Originally Posted by GamblerGORD53
Well I just suckered myself into buying one..... THE safest car on the road too.
They now have radar control for lanes, blind spot and braking. So now you CAN take your eyes off and the car will beep and slam on the brakes. Happened to me already today. 2 wrongs made a right. LOL
Yesterday I went for a highway drive and the line control was rather poor, for the left side anyway. They say rain and dirt affects the ability.

So I don't see how robot cars will work in winter, pouring rain, snowing or dust storms.
I drove my sons Tesla model 3 and I think that will end up being the way of the future. You still need to pay attention to the road but the car can handle most of the driving. If everyone had a Tesla the roads would be far safer than now. The number of drivers I see tailgating on the highways is staggering. It’s not surprising when multi-car pileups occur when something out of the ordinary happens.
gregf83 is offline  
Likes For gregf83:
Old 07-31-19, 06:11 AM
  #23  
mr_bill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,529
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2111 Post(s)
Liked 663 Times in 443 Posts
Originally Posted by Paul Barnard
That includes reading my phone screen.
"safely send a text."

-mr. bill
mr_bill is offline  
Old 07-31-19, 06:45 AM
  #24  
Paul Barnard
For The Fun of It
 
Paul Barnard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Louisissippi Coast
Posts: 5,844

Bikes: Lynskey GR300, Lynskey Backroad, Litespeed T6, Lynskey MT29, Burley Duet

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2131 Post(s)
Liked 1,639 Times in 822 Posts
Originally Posted by genec
There are nearly 6 MILLION traffic collisions a year... seems to me that a lot of motorists can barely "manage" to drive, much less "manage" another "distraction."
Yes sir. I agree completely.
Paul Barnard is offline  
Old 07-31-19, 07:19 AM
  #25  
eja_ bottecchia
Senior Member
 
eja_ bottecchia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 5,793
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1020 Post(s)
Liked 462 Times in 292 Posts
Some of the infotainment screens are difficult to read compounding the problem. Wearing polarized sunglasses makes the info on the screen “disappear.”
eja_ bottecchia is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.