Why are large in-car touchscreens legal when phones are banned while driving?

[Kelly6]

[msc545]

t's a reasonable question, and many traffic safety researchers have asked the same thing. The short answer is that the law has not kept up with vehicle design.

Here's why the difference exists:

Phone bans were relatively straightforward. Research consistently showed that holding or manipulating a phone while driving increased crash risk. Legislatures could simply prohibit handheld phone use.
Touchscreens are built into the vehicle. Regulating the controls that manufacturers put into cars is much more complicated. In the U. S., vehicle design is largely regulated at the federal level, while phone-use laws are mostly enacted by states.
Manufacturers argued that integrated systems are safer. The idea was that drivers would keep their eyes closer to the road and use voice commands. In practice, that isn't always true.

The irony is that many modern touchscreens require drivers to perform tasks that once had dedicated knobs or buttons. For example, changing climate controls or adjusting mirrors may now require:

Looking at the screen.
Navigating through menus.
Making multiple taps.

Those actions can take a driver's eyes off the road for several seconds.

Safety studies have found that some in-car touchscreen tasks can produce distraction comparable to—or in some cases greater than—using a handheld phone, particularly for complex interactions. The key factor is visual and cognitive distraction, not simply whether the device is physically attached to the car.

This has led to growing criticism from organizations such as the National Transportation Safety Board and researchers in human factors engineering. Some countries and independent safety organizations have also begun encouraging manufacturers to return frequently used controls—such as windshield wipers, hazard lights, and climate functions—to physical buttons.

There are also practical reasons the trend persists:

Large touchscreens are cheaper to manufacture than many individual switches.
Software updates can add new features without redesigning hardware.
Consumers often perceive large displays as modern and premium, creating a marketing advantage.

So why aren't they banned?

Because the legal standards are different. Most phone laws prohibit holding or operating a handheld electronic device, while a vehicle's built-in controls are considered part of the car itself. Unless lawmakers specifically regulate in-vehicle interface design or require certain functions to have physical controls, those screens remain legal.

Many transportation experts believe future regulations will focus less on what device a driver is using and more on how much visual attention any task demands. That approach would treat a distracting touchscreen and a distracting phone more similarly, regardless of where the screen is located.

[OneViewpoint]

I have no idea. Touch screens are a death trap. Possibly the dumbest single feature ever added to a motor vehicle. One of the reasons I bought my 2 daily driver cars was a small-ish touchscreen that is restricted to the audio system and navigation via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And even the audio has analog dials and physical steering wheel controls for volume and tuning. All the HVAC controls, seat heaters, steering wheel heater, front and rear defrosters, have their own analog buttons and knobs. If the touchscreen fails I don't lose much functionality.

In contrast one of my neighbors has a car with a huge touchscreen that basically occupies the entire center stack and every function has been moved to software and the touchscreen. It is scary watching him trying to adjust a seat heater temp 3 layers down in menus.

[Purpleronnie]

The question kinda points at a lack of understanding at least in uk police consideration of driving in the UK where I mostly do


It’s interacting with either whilst driving thats illegal. Phone calls can be made via Bluetooth system , CarPlay , android auto , Bluetooth ear piece , voice commands , phone mounted in a cradle or holder.


However of the police believe that use of either whether with hands or without is distracting you from driving you can still be prosecuted for careless driving or not being in proper control of a Vehicle


This type of information is freely available in a web search or speaking to your local authorities not really for G@G

[SamIam96]

The screens are part of the car. They cannot be removed. They display speedometers and gauges and have touch sensitive buttons to control many features like climate and windshield wipers.

A phone is a thing you choose to bring into the vehicle, not unlike a briefcase or handgun. Some things are more dangerous to yourself and those around you than others.

[FreyaRed]

Touchscreens are cheaper in production than manual button controls. Police's job is to write tickets about everything. Add one and one and you will know why one is okay and another not.

You're just human resource to generate money for elites and children they can eat.

[loveslongnails]

Phones should absolutely be banned while driving, without question. This should be obvious. Touchscreens however, should also have limited functionality while the vehicle is operative.

Currently there are many functions you can operate from the steering wheel and that's far preferable, but the time is coming when voice control should be available for many functions. I'd like to see knobs or switches return for certain functions, but that doesn't seem likely.

[exitseven]

Where I live phones are banned while driving too. You can only use the hands free option. If I was still driving a long commute I would have a tablet PC mounted in my truck and watch TV while I drove to work.

[molonski2]

Always has seemed utterly crazy to me !

Touch a phone in Australia= WOW , you in incredible trouble , they think they can stamp it out.

Come to Thailand and try and find someone NOT on a phone or two.. including motor bikes.

[Friendlybro79]

The same reason you can't use plastic bags in a supermarket yet so many things in the supermarket are wrapped in plastic. Human rules are so ridiculous lol.

[sage2021]

I got what you're asking.

It's about the distraction - the big screen is just as distracting as a cellphone and probably more so, but they are allowed and cellphones aren't allowed. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Lliam]

Right? I think those large touch screens would be a huge distraction. You can't watch the road and a screen at the same time.

[AngryCarl3]

I mean you should only touch the screen when the car is stationary. Obviously.

[XXblack88]

🤔 I think cause you can use gps and car related staff unlike the phone just in my opinion

[Bklynbadboy12]

There not banned here you just have to use the hands free options

[robocop666]

holding a phone is multi tasking. ask the government not me.

[Paige2006]

Good question

[Sunday2001]

Probably cause their hands free.

[Kelly6]

@Sunday2001
Not really