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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesNeither a large touchscreen nor a row of physical buttons is automatically safer. The safer control is the one that lets a driver complete a necessary, familiar adjustment with the shortest glance, fewest steps and least mental effort. A clearly placed knob may be easy to identify by feel, but a poorly designed knob can force a driver through several selections. A large display can make labels legible, yet still require visual searching, menu changes and repeated taps.
For everyday driving, judge the interface by the task rather than by its hardware. A quick temperature or volume adjustment is a different safety problem from entering a destination, typing a message or searching a menu. Set navigation, audio and other involved functions before moving, and stop in a safe place when an interaction needs sustained visual or manual attention.
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Are car touchscreens safer than buttons?
There is no evidence in the supplied safety literature that one control type wins in every vehicle and every task. Touchscreens and physical controls can each be easy or demanding, depending on layout, software, feedback, menu depth and whether the vehicle blocks complex actions while moving.
A physical control can offer a fixed location and a tactile shape. That may reduce the time spent looking for it, especially after the driver has learned the layout. This is an ergonomic advantage to evaluate, not a proven universal safety benefit. A driver may still need to look down to identify a closely spaced button, read a small label or work through a sequence of controls.
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A touchscreen can put many functions in one visible interface and make labels easier to read. It can also hide functions behind changing screens, require precise taps, remove tactile cues and demand visual confirmation after every action. Screen size alone does not reveal how distracting the system will be.
The most useful question is therefore: How much visual, manual and cognitive demand does this particular task impose in this particular car?
Why a control can be distracting even when the task seems simple
Driver distraction has three overlapping dimensions:
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- Visual: the driver looks away from the roadway to find, read or confirm a control.
- Manual: a hand leaves the steering wheel to touch, turn, press or type.
- Cognitive: the driver must remember a sequence, interpret unfamiliar labels, decide among options or monitor several steps.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describes visual-manual interaction as looking at a device, making a hand input and receiving visual feedback. A single adjustment can involve all three dimensions at once. A large screen may reduce the need to hunt for a tiny label but still require a long visual sequence. A button may be reachable by feel but still demand concentration if its position is unfamiliar or its function is ambiguous.
NHTSA separates discretionary secondary tasks—such as radio operation and route-navigation interactions—from primary driving tasks such as lane keeping and monitoring the road. Secondary status does not make a task harmless: it means the driver should manage it so that the primary driving job is not compromised.
What the available safety evidence actually shows
Naturalistic-driving risk estimates
NHTSA’s summary of Dingus and colleagues’ 2016 SHRP2 naturalistic-driving analysis reports these estimated associations:
| Observed secondary activity | Estimated odds ratio | 95% confidence interval | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusting climate controls | 2.3 | 1.1–5.0 | An association in that analysis, not proof that climate controls cause a fixed level of crash risk. |
| Adjusting the radio | 1.9 | 1.2–3.0 | An association that can vary with study methods, driver behavior and context. |
| Adjusting another device, such as a touchscreen | 4.6 | 2.9–7.4 | An association for the category studied; it does not establish that every touchscreen has this risk. |
These figures are not a head-to-head test of identical tasks performed with a button and a screen. NHTSA notes that estimates differ across studies and that more research is needed. They should be read as evidence that some secondary interactions are more demanding than others, not as a ranking that declares all screens unsafe or all buttons safe.
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AAA’s 2017 test of 30 new vehicles
In a 2017 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study, University of Utah researchers evaluated infotainment tasks in 30 new 2017 vehicles. Programming navigation was the most distracting task and took an average of 40 seconds. That is a historical, task-specific result from the vehicles tested at that time; it is not a measurement of every current model or every navigation method.
The result matters because destination entry combines reading, choosing, typing or tapping and checking that the selected route is correct. Even when the display is large, the task can keep the driver’s eyes and thoughts away from the road for a prolonged interval.
AAA’s 2017–2018 vehicle sample
A separate AAA Foundation study examined infotainment systems in 40 vehicles from model years 2017 and 2018. None of the systems produced a low-demand rating, and 29 were rated high or very high demand. The findings also cut against simple hardware stereotypes: a center-stack rotary controller was very demanding for navigation in one vehicle, while a touchscreen and complex menus were demanding for other tasks in other vehicles.
The practical lesson is that the design and the task matter more than the presence of a knob or the diagonal measurement of a display. A rotary controller still requires visual and cognitive work if the driver must turn, select, confirm and wait through several screens.
How to compare a screen and buttons in a real car
Use the following dimensions when comparing two vehicles or deciding how to operate the one you own. They describe the demands to look for; they do not guarantee a safety outcome.
| Dimension | Questions to ask | Signs of lower demand | Warning signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eyes-off-road demand | Can the control be found with a brief glance? | Fixed location, clear icon, immediate confirmation | Visual search, small targets, repeated checking |
| Task time and steps | How many actions does a common adjustment take? | One or two predictable actions | Several taps, turns, confirmations or waits |
| Menu depth and consistency | Are core functions always in the same place? | Direct access and stable labels | Functions buried in changing menus or submenus |
| Tactile identification and placement | Can the control be recognized and reached without prolonged looking? | Distinct shapes, spacing and consistent reach | Nearly identical controls or awkward placement |
| Cognitive demand and familiarity | Must the driver remember a sequence or interpret an unfamiliar term? | Familiar, predictable operation | Learning a new command structure or making several decisions |
| Moving-vehicle restrictions | Does the system block involved actions while the vehicle is moving? | Text and destination entry unavailable until stopped | Long interactions remain available while driving |
Which controls are usually easiest for common driving tasks?
Temperature and fan adjustments
Climate controls are frequent, time-sensitive adjustments. A dedicated temperature dial, fan knob or clearly separated switch can be easy to locate after practice. A touchscreen climate page may be equally manageable when it opens directly, uses large targets and provides immediate feedback. It becomes more demanding when the driver must leave the current screen, open a climate menu, change a value and return to the previous function.
Compare the complete sequence, not just the control’s appearance. Count the glances and actions needed to change temperature one step, adjust fan speed and turn defrost on or off. If the interface requires confirmation or hides climate controls behind navigation and media pages, the nominally simple task has become a longer visual-manual interaction.
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Volume and audio source
A steering-wheel volume rocker or a fixed knob can be recognized quickly once its location is familiar. A touchscreen slider may show the value clearly but can require the driver to target a moving or narrow control. Source selection, station search and playlist browsing are more involved than a single volume change, regardless of whether the first input is a button, knob or screen.
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Navigation and destination entry
Destination programming is one of the highest-demand infotainment activities identified in the AAA testing. It normally requires reading a map or list, entering an address or name, selecting among results and checking the route. A rotary controller does not eliminate those decisions, and a large touchscreen does not make them safe to perform while moving.
Enter the destination while parked, review the route and start guidance before joining traffic. If the route changes or the system requests a new input, wait until a safe stop unless the vehicle’s system can complete the change without sustained visual-manual interaction.
Text entry and messaging
Typing combines visual target selection, hand movement and language decisions. Small physical keys can be difficult to distinguish; a screen keyboard can require repeated visual confirmation. Voice input may avoid some manual taps, but it still requires the driver to formulate commands, listen for confirmation and correct errors. Treat any method that demands extended attention as a stopped-vehicle task.
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Defrost, hazard and other urgent functions
Functions needed quickly in changing conditions should be obvious and consistently located. A control that is buried in a menu can add delay during fog, rain or a sudden visibility problem. Before choosing a vehicle, verify where these functions are and whether they can be operated without leaving the road view for more than a brief glance.
Why a larger screen is not automatically better
A larger display can improve legibility by making text, icons and maps easier to see. It can also present more information at once. Those benefits do not guarantee lower distraction because the driver may still need to scan multiple panels, interpret dense graphics or move a hand farther across a wide surface.
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Large displays can also encourage feature accumulation: climate, vehicle settings, navigation, media, cameras and account functions may all share one interface. If the driver must remember which page contains a setting, screen area has not solved the menu problem. A smaller display with direct controls can require fewer decisions, while a well-designed large display can make a short, stable task clearer. Evaluate the interaction path rather than the screen’s marketing size.
Why physical buttons are not automatically safer
Buttons and knobs can be placed in consistent locations and can provide mechanical feedback. They can also be tightly packed, unlabeled from the driver’s viewpoint or assigned different functions in different vehicles. A rotary controller may force the driver to watch a cursor move across a display, turn the knob repeatedly and confirm a selection. The AAA vehicle sample demonstrates that this arrangement can produce very high demand for navigation.
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Physical controls also vary in reach. A button low on the center console, a switch behind the steering wheel or a dial shared by several systems may require the driver to look down or stretch. Familiarity helps only after the driver has learned the layout; it does not remove the need to learn it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do before you drive
- Set the destination while parked. Enter the address, choose the correct result and verify the route before moving.
- Prepare audio. Select the source, station, playlist or podcast and set a comfortable volume.
- Set climate and visibility controls. Adjust temperature, fan, defrost and other conditions you expect to need.
- Learn fixed locations in a safe place. With the vehicle stationary, identify hazard, defrost, volume, mute and other frequently used controls.
- Use the shortest available path. Prefer a direct, familiar control for a small change instead of opening a multi-step menu.
- Stop for extended interaction. Pull over safely before typing, entering a destination, searching a database or troubleshooting an unfamiliar interface.
These steps do not make a system compliant with a single safety standard. They reduce the amount of visual-manual work attempted while the vehicle is moving.
How to evaluate a car during a test drive
Test the tasks you actually perform
Do not judge an interface only by its appearance in a showroom. While stationary, perform a one-step climate adjustment, volume change, source change, route entry and a visibility-related function. Note the number of actions, the number of times you must look at the display and whether the system confirms each change clearly.
Check consistency from the driver’s seat
Operate the controls in the seating position you will use. A control that appears obvious from the passenger side may be hard to reach or identify behind the wheel. Check both daylight and nighttime illumination if possible, because glare, contrast and backlighting can alter how quickly labels can be read.
Observe what is disabled while moving
Ask which functions are locked out once the vehicle is in motion. Restrictions on text entry or destination programming can prevent a long interaction, but NHTSA’s visual-manual guidelines are voluntary and there is no single rule that guarantees every vehicle restricts every distracting function. Learn the behavior of the exact model and software version.
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Consider who will drive the vehicle
A control familiar to one driver may be new to another. If several people use the car, allow each person to practice the common tasks while parked. Drivers who are unfamiliar with a system should not learn its menu structure in traffic.
What manufacturers and drivers should prioritize
- Keep high-frequency functions available without deep menus.
- Use stable locations and labels so a driver does not have to relearn a control after every software change.
- Provide clear tactile or visual feedback after an input.
- Minimize the number of confirmations and screen transitions for routine adjustments.
- Prevent text entry and other prolonged interactions while the vehicle is moving where appropriate.
- Make urgent visibility and safety functions easy to identify from the driver’s position.
These are design goals, not a certification checklist. NHTSA’s visual-manual distraction guidance, Version 1.01 from September 2014, and its associated test procedures dated August 1, 2019, are voluntary. They focus on limiting distraction and evaluating tasks rather than prescribing buttons over screens.
How to interpret claims that one interface is safer
Be cautious with statements that treat hardware as a shortcut to safety. A claim that “buttons are safer” ignores menu complexity, placement and task differences. A claim that “the bigger screen is safer because it is easier to see” ignores visual search, touch precision and the number of steps required. The strongest available comparisons evaluate particular vehicles and particular tasks, not screen size in isolation.
Ask for the conditions behind any number: vehicle model years, tested task, sample size, rating method and whether the result is an association or a controlled comparison. The SHRP2 odds ratios and AAA demand ratings are useful evidence about distraction, but they do not predict the risk of every current vehicle or prove that one physical interface causes a fixed crash rate.
Bottom line for drivers
Choose and use the control layout that makes your frequent tasks short, predictable and easy to locate. Physical controls may help when they are distinct, fixed and reachable without prolonged looking. Touchscreens may work well when common functions are direct, stable and readable. Neither is inherently safe.
Regardless of the interface, complete navigation setup, text entry and other involved tasks before driving or after stopping safely. While moving, limit interaction to brief, familiar adjustments and keep primary attention on lane position, traffic and the road ahead.
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