{"id":929325,"date":"2026-10-15T18:06:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T18:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/929325\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T18:06:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T18:06:20","slug":"dangerous-feature-inside-aussie-cars-making-drivers-blind-for-33-metres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/929325\/","title":{"rendered":"Dangerous feature inside Aussie cars making drivers ‘blind’ for 33 metres"},"content":{"rendered":"

Road safety experts<\/a> are sounding the alarm over a dangerous feature becoming increasingly widespread in Australian cars, which they say can effectively “blind” drivers for over 30 metres.<\/p>\n

Australia, like most countries in the world, strictly bans the use of mobile phones behind the wheel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In stricter states, like Queensland, for example, they can’t be anywhere on your body \u2014 including even resting on your lap<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So why is it then that so many new models of cars \u2014 electric vehicles<\/a> in particular \u2014 seem to boast enormous electronic touch-screen displays?<\/p>\n

That’s a question many have been asking recently as more and more high-tech vehicles flood the market from overseas.<\/p>\n

\"\"Are touch screens dangerous on the road?<\/p>\n

Research commissioned by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) found that in one vehicle, an incredible 11 steps were required to perform a task, taking about a second per prompt.<\/p>\n

RAC WA Manager of Vehicles and Fuels, Alex Forrest, told Yahoo News Australia that the research “clearly shows” there is a direct link between the number of steps a task takes and “the number of seconds the driver’s eyes are off the road”.<\/p>\n

“If you take your eyes off the road for just two seconds at 60km\/h, you’ve travelled 33 metres blind,” he said.<\/p>\n

University of Newcastle researchers, who conducted the study, used eye-tracking glasses and other technology to assess how distracting different in-car infotainment systems were for drivers.<\/p>\n

The study examined 10 built-in systems, including those found in BMW, Toyota and Tesla vehicles, alongside Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.<\/p>\n

Apple CarPlay came out on top, requiring an average of just two steps to complete a task and taking drivers’ eyes off the road for slightly more than one second. At the lowest end of the scale was the system fitted to the Cupra Ateca.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Cadillac Escalade IQ’s impressive in-car touchscreen. Source: Just Jana<\/p>\n

Should in-car touchscreens be subject to the same rules as mobile phones?<\/p>\n

Yahoo News Australia asked the Chief Executive Officer of Australasian College of Road Safety, Dr Ingrid Johnston, whether she thought large in-car touchscreens were as distracting as mobile phones.<\/p>\n

She said, “Yes, potentially”, but believes “screen size alone is not the key issue”.<\/p>\n

Dr Johnston explained that the real danger wasn’t necessarily the size of the screen, but how much attention drivers had to divert from the road to use it.<\/p>\n

Systems that force motorists to scroll through menus and make multiple selections can be particularly distracting and unsafe.<\/p>\n

“At 60 km\/h, a vehicle travels approximately 100 metres in six seconds,” Dr Johnston said.<\/p>\n

She also raised concerns about manufacturers replacing traditional buttons with touchscreens.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

However, this shouldn’t be seen as a case of “touchscreens bad, buttons good”, Dr Johnston said, acknowledging that screens still have a place.<\/p>\n

She argued that ultimately, Australian road rules have struggled to keep pace with rapidly evolving vehicle technology.<\/p>\n

That’s created the disconnect people keep talking about between what motorists can legally do on their phones and the functions available through built-in screens.<\/p>\n

\"Left:<\/p>\n

A Queenslander recently received a fine for having her phone attached to her body on a lanyard. Source: Supplied<\/p>\n

“It creates an understandable tension,” Dr Johnston said.<\/p>\n

“The law may impose strict limitations on interaction with a handheld mobile phone while a vehicle’s integrated system can offer many of the same communications, entertainment and navigation functions,” she said.<\/p>\n

But changes are underway.<\/p>\n

Dr Johnston said the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) is taking a closer look at how easy it is for drivers to use important controls, including touchscreens, when assessing vehicle safety.<\/p>\n

There was a strong case to be made for tougher standards that focused on how distracting a system was, instead of the physical device being used.<\/p>\n

“Distraction should be treated consistently regardless of whether the source is a mobile phone, a touchscreen supplied by the vehicle manufacturer or another device,” Dr Johnston said.<\/p>\n

In other words, both should be held to similar safety standards if they pose the same risk.<\/p>\n

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