Infotainment Screens Actually Distract Drivers, Study Shows

• Touchscreens have become a common sight in new cars, with manufacturers saying these infotainment systems are safer than a cluttered mess of knobs and buttons.

• A group of automotive journalists in Sweden put these claims to the test by timing the infotainment functions of 11 brand-new models alongside a 2005 Volvo V70 with no screen.

• The results show a spread of efficiently designed menus and intelligent screen placement alongside slow and complex user interfaces and poorly angled displays.

Screens are all the rage in automotive interior design these days. From the vertically mounted, foot-long vertical tablets you see in Teslas and Ram trucks to the horizontal screens optioned by BMW and Chevrolet, it's hard to avoid a touchscreen infotainment system. In some cases, even climate controls are no longer independent from the stereo and navigation, being baked into a series of menus.

Manufacturers say these screens are not only an advanced piece of 21st-century technology but can be safer than the traditional button array that dominated car interiors for decades. A group of journalists in Sweden has put this claim to the test. The ViBilägare team used 12 different vehicles, ranging from a 2005 Volvo V70 (without any screen) to the newest BMW iX EV and even a Seat Leon. Given that the price range of a vehicle readily affects the kind of screen installed, the test included modern vehicles from the low, middle, and high-end segments.

The test was simple but indicative of driving conditions that owners face daily. After having ample time to familiarize themselves with the controls, testers were instructed to drive at 68 mph and perform tasks like changing the radio station, resetting the trip computer, and adjusting the cabin temperature. A timekeeper in the passenger seat recorded the time it took to complete all the tasks and how far the vehicle traveled until they were complete. And the results might surprise you.

The outright winner of the test was the screen-free 2005 Volvo V70, allowing drivers to complete the tasks in just 10 seconds using solely buttons. Perhaps this result should not be surprising, as the Swedish journalists conducting the tests have been familiar with the V70 for 17 years.