Smartphonelike car displays challenge safety policymakers
Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
AN-LOGO-BLUE
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Account
  • login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
    • Automakers & Suppliers
    • News by Brand
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
    • How the quake helped Toyota N.A. navigate COVID
      Dealers get nimble on hiring, training amid crisis
      CarMax
      CarMax plans bonuses for 22,000 employees to reward pandemic efforts
      COVID-19 vaccines reaching auto plants, but challenges remain
    • Xpeng electric car displayed at an auto show
      Xpeng narrows Q4 loss as EV deliveries take off
      China vows to boost car sales, EV charging facilities
      Sanden's plant in the north China port city of Tianjin
      Hisense to acquire Japanese auto air-conditioner maker Sanden
      A Cadillac XT5 fitted with the 48-volt system 
      Cadillac launches XT5, XT6 fitted with 48-volt system
    • Udelv CEO offers a historical perspective on high-tech goods delivery
      Q&A with BrightDrop CEO Travis Katz
      Automakers optimize manufacturing, customize products through digitization
      3D-printing a Porsche: Making concepts matter
    • Lime adaptive vehicle design
      Lime's adaptive scooters to boost accessibility in micromobility, but there's still a way to go
      Democratic Reps. Andy Levin and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
      Congressman Andy Levin backs EV push, calls vehicles ‘easy to love'
      PSA pushing FCA forward on EVs
      Barra EV
      Automaking is only part of GM CEO's vision
    • Elon Musk interview
      Tesla’s Model Y, on sale since March, is a showcase of EV technologies competitors will benchmark.
      Technologies of Electrification
      Cadillac’s Lyriq EV will be unveiled Aug. 6.
      Future Product Pipeline
      A CALL TO ACTION
    • Next supply issue: Foam shortage on the horizon
      Dealers get nimble on hiring, training amid crisis
      Dealer optimism rides into Q1
      Impressive hire at first, now facing fraud charge
    • Access F&I
    • Fixed Ops Journal
    • Marketing
    • Used Cars
    • Retail Technology
    • Sales
    • Best Practices
    • Dealership Buy/Sell
    • NADA
    • NADA Show
    • Automakers
    • Manufacturing
    • Suppliers
    • Regulations & Safety
    • Executives
    • Talk From The Top
    • Leading Women Network
    • Guide to Economic Development
    • PACE Awards
    • Management Briefing Seminars
    • World Congress
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls-Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Genesis
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • Stellantis
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Citroen
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Ferrari
      • Fiat
      • Jeep
      • Lancia
      • Maserati
      • Opel
      • Peugeot
      • Ram
      • Vauxhall
    • Renault
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
      • Seat
      • Skoda
    • Volvo
    • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
      • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
      • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
      • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
      • KIA: 2021 K5
      • LEXUS: 2021 IS
      • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
      • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
    • Auto Shows
    • Future Product Pipeline
    • Photo Galleries
    • Car Cutaways
    • Design
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
    • The new Stellantis pickup: Schrödinger's Dakota
      Fisker gets a rare second chance to build his own car company
      Gerry McGovern is right man to steer Jaguar reinvention
      Forget the Ford GT; Moray Callum's biggest hit is the aluminum F-150
    • Record Dealer Profit - Leo Michael
      Record Dealer Profits
      Jaguar is about to undergo its fourth reinvention in five decades as owner Tata Group takes a second crack at shaking up a brand whose glorious past has rarely translated into a profitable present or sustainable future.
      Jaguar Redo, Part IV
      view gallery
      1 photos
      Chip Shortage
      Record Dealer Profits
      view gallery
      10 photos
      Leo Michael Cartoons - Q1 2021
    • Shifting gears away from the stick shift
      SEMA still a wonderful circus
      Penske still has plenty of races to win
      Ford's turn in the hot seat
    • March 2, 2021 | Will EV bets pay off?
      February 23, 2021 | Reliability continues to soar
      February 16, 2021 | Apple looks to take bite out of automotive
      February 9, 2021 | ‘Super’ opportunity for automakers
    • Sergio Marchionne Dennis Williams hug
      Prosecutors show an unsettling path to save Chrysler
      Gilad Komorov
      Automation doesn't mean personalization ends
      Dave Versical
      The Darwinization of auto retail is coming
      Online trust starts with transparency
    • Geely HQ
      Why Geely wants to be a contract manufacturer
      Shanghai hints at how Chinese cities will pursue electrification
      How Tesla, GM transformed EV market in 2020
      Is sales recovery nearing an end?
    • Sergio Marchionne Dennis Williams hug
      Prosecutors show an unsettling path to save Chrysler
      U.S. Dealership lot
      Lean lots won't last without new dealer discipline
      Taiwan Semicon microchips BB web.jpg
      Chip shortage shows need for new thinking
      Digital demands squeeze smaller auto retailers
    • Dealers, be aware of possible tax relief
      Multifuel stations way forward for EVs
      New look at Nissan a positive sign
      Embrace EV ideas at our doorstep
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
    • AutoNews Now: Peugeot's U.S. comeback uncertain amid Alfa Romeo appointment
      AutoNews Now: Next parts shortage could be foam for seats
      AutoNews Now: Chip woes persist: GM extending output cuts
      AutoNews Now: Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, Hyundai, Kia slide in Feb.; Volvo, Genesis rise
    • First Shift: Stellantis pulls plug on Peugeot's U.S. return
      First Shift: Ford criticized by ITC for SK Innovation battery deal
      First Shift: GM, LG Chem mull second U.S. battery plant
      First Shift: Stellantis aims for higher profit margins in 2021
    • Bert Ogden Auto Group
      How a Texas group is cutting costs, saving millions
      COVID, chips and checks: Sales headwinds and tailwinds for 2021
      N.J. dealer helps position peers for ‘electric revolution’
      DCH Millburn Audi
      'Finding the diamond in the rough': How 2020's No. 1 dealership retains talent
    • Why the pickup is the auto industry's 'battleground'
      Carlos Ghosn's quest to restore his reputation
      Why Ford must execute to avoid 'deep trouble'
      Why Honda is 'locked and loaded' for 2020
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
    • Awards
    • Congress Conversations
    • Retail Forum: NADA
    • Canada Congress
    • Europe Congress Conversations
    • Leading Women Conference
    • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
    • ANE Shift
    • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
    • Shift: The Future of Mobility (CES)
    • 100 Leading Women
    • 40 Under 40 Retail
    • All-Stars
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
    • PACE Program
    • Rising Stars
    • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • AN Solutions
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • In the Driver's Seat
    • Publishing Partners
    • Classifieds
    • Companies on the Move
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds
    • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
    • Special Reports Podcasts
    • Daily Drive Podcasts
    • AAM
    • DealerPolicy
    • Gentex
    • Reputation.com
    • Ricardo
    • Ricardo
    • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
    • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
    • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
    • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
    • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
    • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
    • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
    • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
    • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
    • IHS Markit: Autonomous vehicles: Automotive and transportation disruption
    • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
    • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
    • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
    • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
    • Ally: Do It Right
    • DealerSocket
    • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
    • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
    • Guide To Economic Development
    • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Cars & Concepts
July 07, 2015 01:00 AM

Smartphonelike car displays challenge safety policymakers

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Audi's MMI system allows drivers to check their Facebook and Twitter messages.

    SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -- When it comes to dashboard displays that are more like smartphones, two things are clear: Customers want them, and automakers are intent on supplying them.

    But are they really a good idea?

    Automakers say outsized dashboard displays that behave more like smartphones will boost revenue and attract buyers. And they also insist the new screens will make driving less dangerous, because of well-integrated voice controls and large touchscreens that will keep drivers from fumbling with more dangerous mobile phones.

    But the increasingly elaborate screens have also sparked a broad debate about how much technology is appropriate in a car.

    "I think they [the screens] raise serious public safety questions," said Joe Simitian, the former California lawmaker who spearheaded the state's laws on phone use while driving. "This is going to be something legislators struggle with for years to come."

    "You can't be looking at a screen and be looking at the road at the same time," said David Strayer, a professor of cognition and neural science at the University of Utah, who has written several studies on distracted driving. The screens "are enabling activities that take your eyes off the road for longer than most safety advocates would say is safe."

    His research shows that reading the average text message -- a function some of the screens support -- takes 4 seconds, far longer than what he considers safe.

    But for automakers and their customers, the souped-up screens are proving irresistible.

    In an Audi A3, for example, drivers who sync their phones with their cars can check for mentions of themselves on Twitter and see those tweets on their dashboards-although not their full Twitter streams. They can upload photos taken on smartphones and request mapping to the place the photo was taken. Text messages pop up on the dashboard, in addition to being read out loud.

    "If you don't provide something that is useful, people will just use their smartphones, and we all know that's the biggest driver distraction there is," said Mark Dahncke, a spokesman for Audi.

    Up to now, dashboard technology hasn't factored highly into most car buying decisions, but carmakers expect it to become increasingly important over the next three to five years.

    A recent study by the market research company J.D. Power found that about 15 percent of consumers rule out buying a car if it lacks the latest technology, compared with just 4 percent a year ago.

    Little regulation

    Currently, dashboard displays are only lightly regulated. Many states forbid the airing of non-navigational videos by drivers while cars are in motion, except for safety video systems designed to help with backing up and other tasks.

    Federal motor vehicle standards stipulate only a few rules, including that the brightness on displays be adjustable.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued driver-distraction guidelines for dashboard displays in moving cars. They advise against displays that include photographs or moving images unrelated to driving, and suggest that drivers shouldn't need to tap a button or key more than six times to complete a task. But so far, the guidelines are voluntary, with automakers under no obligation to comply.

    The auto industry has issued voluntary guidelines of its own. But in many cases, industry standards fall short of the government's. For example, the industry guidelines say that drivers should be able to complete tasks on the displays in a series of single glances that generally take no more than 2 seconds each, for a total of 20 seconds. But the government guidelines advise that drivers should be able to complete tasks in a series of 1.5- or 2-second glances, for a total of no more than 12 seconds.

    Some critics find even that standard too lax.

    "It should be set up so people can do it in just four glances," says Henry Jasny, vice president of the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a Washington-based group funded by insurers and others. His group has asked for the government guidelines to become law, figuring that even imperfect mandatory rules would be better than no requirements, and that during the rulemaking process, the organization can fight for more stringent regulation.

    Auto manufacturers are incorporating popular smartphone features into displays in different ways.

    Some, such as Hyundai, are simply making their displays compatible with Android and iOS, the smartphone software from Google and Apple, so drivers can see a bare-bones version of their phone on the screen. Other companies, including Tesla, are creating elaborate systems that don't rely on syncing with phones, but replicate many of the things consumers might use their phones to do, such as checking for nearby restaurants.

    Making the in-dash displays as responsive as possible with minimal glances away from the road is a major goal, says Danny Shapiro, senior director of automotive for NVIDIA, a company that makes hardware and software for displays featured in Audis and Teslas.

    "What we're doing is developing graphics that are intuitive, so you can gesture or swipe or zoom," he said. "Something that responds like that, and is big, is much safer than a smartphone."

    So far, insurers haven't taken a stand on the new souped-up displays. A large, interactive display on the dashboard would neither increase nor decrease policy rates, said a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, unless it was considered valuable enough to increase the risk of theft.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    GMC Hummer SUV set for April 3 debut
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

     

     

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    GMC Hummer SUV set for April 3 debut
    GMC Hummer SUV set for April 3 debut
    Volvo heralds EV era with sleek crossover
    Volvo heralds EV era with sleek crossover
    An SUV that melts in the sun
    An SUV that melts in the sun
    Sponsored Content: The Why and How of Switching DMS Solutions after 30 Years
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    See more newsletter options at autonews.com/newsletters.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Digital Edition
    Automotive News 3-8-21
    THIS WEEK'S EDITION
    See our archive
    Fixed Ops Journal
    Fixed Ops Journal 2-8-21
    Read the issue
    See our archive
    CARS & CONCEPTS NEWSLETTER: Sign up for a Tuesday afternoon newsletter roundup of products, concepts and auto show news, including photo galleries, blogs and links to car reviews.
    WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Sign up to start your week with the top stories from the latest issue of Automotive News, delivered to your inbox first thing each Monday morning.
    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    Subscribe Today

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Our mission

    The Automotive News mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in North America.

    AN-LOGO-BLUE
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit, Michigan
    48207-2997

    (877) 812-1584

    Email us

    Automotive News
    ISSN 0005-1551 (print)
    ISSN 1557-7686 (online)

    Fixed Ops Journal
    ISSN 2576-1064 (print)
    ISSN 2576-1072 (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • Subscribe
    • Manage your account
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • NEWS
      • Dealers
        • Access F&I
        • Fixed Ops Journal
        • Marketing
        • Used Cars
        • Retail Technology
        • Sales
        • Best Practices
        • Dealership Buy/Sell
        • NADA
        • NADA Show
      • Automakers & Suppliers
        • Automakers
        • Manufacturing
        • Suppliers
        • Regulations & Safety
        • Executives
        • Talk From The Top
        • Leading Women Network
        • Guide to Economic Development
        • PACE Awards
        • Management Briefing Seminars
        • World Congress
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls-Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Genesis
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • McLaren
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • Stellantis
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Citroen
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Ferrari
          • Fiat
          • Jeep
          • Lancia
          • Maserati
          • Opel
          • Peugeot
          • Ram
          • Vauxhall
        • Renault
        • Subaru
        • Suzuki
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
          • Seat
          • Skoda
        • Volvo
        • (Discontinued Brands)
      • Cars & Concepts
        • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
          • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
          • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
          • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
          • KIA: 2021 K5
          • LEXUS: 2021 IS
          • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
          • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
        • Auto Shows
        • Future Product Pipeline
        • Photo Galleries
        • Car Cutaways
        • Design
      • Coronavirus Coverage
      • China
      • Shift
      • Mobility Report
      • Special Reports
      • Digital Edition Archive
      • This Week's Issue
    • OPINION
      • Blogs
      • Cartoons
      • Keith Crain
      • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
      • Columnists
      • China Commentary
      • Editorials
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Send us a Letter
    • DATA CENTER
    • VIDEO
      • AutoNews Now
      • First Shift
      • Special Video Reports
      • Weekend Drive
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Events
        • Congress Conversations
        • Retail Forum: NADA
        • Canada Congress
        • Europe Congress Conversations
        • Leading Women Conference
        • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
        • ANE Shift
        • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
        • Shift: The Future of Mobility (CES)
      • Awards
        • 100 Leading Women
        • 40 Under 40 Retail
        • All-Stars
        • Best Dealerships To Work For
        • PACE Program
        • Rising Stars
        • Europe Rising Stars
    • JOBS
    • AN Solutions
    • +MORE
      • Leading Women Network
      • Podcasts
        • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
        • Special Reports Podcasts
        • Daily Drive Podcasts
      • Webinars
      • In the Driver's Seat
        • AAM
        • DealerPolicy
        • Gentex
        • Reputation.com
        • Ricardo
        • Ricardo
      • Publishing Partners
        • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
        • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
        • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
        • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
        • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
        • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
        • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
        • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
        • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
        • IHS Markit: Autonomous vehicles: Automotive and transportation disruption
        • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
        • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
        • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
        • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
        • Ally: Do It Right
        • DealerSocket
        • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
        • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
        • Guide To Economic Development
        • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
      • Classifieds
      • Companies on the Move
      • People on the Move
      • Newsletters
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • RSS Feeds