Smart Dashboards Raise Significant Safety Issues

Smart dashboards are very popular in vehicles today. Car companies like them because they attract buyers and increase revenue. Customers love them because of the ease of use and the features they provide.

However, smart dashboards raise questions about how safe they really are for drivers. Car companies insist they are safe, claiming they make driving less dangerous because they keep drivers from using more dangerous smart phones. Experts claim that the screens take a driver’s eyes off the road for longer than is safe.

Currently, dashboard displays are only very lightly regulated. Some states do not allow videos on dashboard displays, except for safety video systems designed to help with backing up and other tasks. There are only a few federal laws about dashboard displays, including that the brightness of the displays be adjustable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that dashboard displays not include moving images or pictures not related to driving. It also recommends that drivers should not be required to tap a button more than six times to complete a task. However, those recommendations are voluntary.

Automakers have a responsibility to make their cars safe for users, as well as for other drivers on the roads. Large dashboard displays in which a driver can read texts or check his or her social media page is probably too tempting for many drivers, and could lead to unsafe behavior.

Distracted driving has become a very widespread problem in the U.S. If you have been injured in an automobile accident with a distracted driver, call to schedule your free consultation.