Two-thirds of Australian drivers want physical buttons back in cars

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 00:02 · Archive

Research from insurance group Allianz found 67 per cent of Australian drivers prefer physical buttons over touchscreens and link them to crashes.

Research from insurance giant Allianz analysed 34,000 vehicle crashes and surveyed drivers across multiple countries. The study found 67 per cent of Australian drivers prefer physical buttons over touchscreens. Among Australian drivers who had been in a collision, 67 per cent identified distraction as playing a role in their incident. Almost one in three Australian drivers surveyed said they had experienced a critical moment while driving caused by a touchscreen.

When asked whether in-car distraction had increased in recent years, 75 per cent of Australian respondents agreed it had. This matched sentiment in the UK, though higher proportions of motorists in Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy and France agreed, with Brazil recording the highest figure at 86 per cent.

Dr Klaus-Peter Röhler, in the foreword to the report titled 'Swipe. Tap. Crash. Driver distraction in the digital car', said distraction appears far more often in crash records than official statistics suggest. He noted that 'a glance of only a couple of seconds can, at the wrong moment, be as dangerous as driving over the drink-drive limit'. Michael Praxenthaler, traffic psychologist at the Allianz Centre for Technology, added that 'well-designed in-car controls can significantly reduce the time drivers spend looking away from the road'.

How it is being reported

• Australian drivers want physical buttons back as touchscreens linked to crashesA global survey has found Australian drivers are especially critical of touchscreens, adding to calls for more physical buttons in cars.The West Australian · 26 Oct, 23:30
• Australian drivers want physical buttons back as touchscreens linked to crashesA global survey has found Australian drivers are especially critical of touchscreens, adding to calls for more physical buttons in cars.Perth Now · 26 Oct, 23:30

In this story: Allianz · Australia · Allianz Centre for Technology

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