When it comes to screens on the dashboard that are more like smartphones, two things are clear: Customers want, and automakers intend to provide.
But are they really a good idea?
Automakers say huge screens on the dashboard that behave more like smartphones will drive revenue and attract buyers. And also they insist that the new screens become less dangerous driving, due to well integrated voice controls and large touch screens that will keep drivers delve into the most dangerous mobile phones.
But the increasingly elaborate displays have also provoked a wide debate on the amount of technology that is appropriate in a car.
"I think they [the screen] pose serious public safety issues," said Joe Simitian, former California legislator who led the state's laws on the use of phone while driving. "This will be something that lawmakers struggling with for years to come."
"You can not be looking at a screen and looking at the road at the same time," said David Strayer, a professor of cognition and neuroscience at the University of Utah, who has written several studies on distracted driving. The screens "are enabling activities that take their eyes off the road for longer than most safety advocates say it is safe."
Their research shows that the reading of normal text message - a part of the support function screens - makes four seconds, much longer than what he considered safe.
However, for automakers and their customers, the souped screens are proving irresistible.
In a Audi A3, for example, drivers who synchronize their phones with their cars can check for mentions of themselves on Twitter and see tweets in their dashboards, but does not transmit all his Twitter. They can upload photos taken on smartphones and mapping application to place the photo was taken. The pop-up message text in the dashboard, in addition to being read aloud.
"If you do not provide something that is useful, people just use their smartphones, and we all know which is the biggest driver distraction there," said Mark Dahncke, spokesman for Audi.
So far, the control panel technology has not factored highly in most purchasing decisions for cars, but automakers expect to become increasingly important in the next three to five years.
A recent study by market research firm JD Power found that about 15 percent of consumers to discount the purchase of a car if it lacks the latest technology, compared with just 4 percent a year ago.
Shortly regulation
Currently, the dashboard displays are only lightly regulated. Many states prohibit the issuance of Non-Navigational videos by drivers while cars are in motion, with the exception of video security systems designed to help with backup and other tasks.
Federal motor vehicle standards stipulate just a few rules, including the brightness of the display is adjustable.
The National Traffic Safety Administration has issued Highway driver distraction guidelines for dashboard displays in moving cars. The displays include photographs or moving images are discouraged, not related to driving, and suggest that drivers should not have to touch a button or key over six times to complete a task. But until now, the guidelines are voluntary, with automakers has no obligation to comply.
The automotive industry has issued voluntary guidelines themselves. But in many cases, industry standards fall short of government. For example, industry guidelines say drivers should be able to complete tasks on screens in a series of individual looks that usually do not take more than 2 seconds each, for a total of 20 seconds. But government guidelines recommend that drivers should be able to complete tasks in a series of 1.5- to 2 seconds eyes, for a total of no more than 12 seconds.
Some critics even found this standard too lax.
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