The expectation that advanced technology would make vehicle interfaces more intuitive has been confronted with usability challenges. A test conducted by the Swedish magazine Vi Bilägare demonstrated that the multimedia systems in the newest vehicles are more prone to causing distraction and are consequently more dangerous compared to models from four years prior.
On average, the contemporary driver looks away from the road for longer to complete a simple task than they did in 2022. For this study, the publication used ten new cars, along with a 2016 Volvo V60 as a reference point. Drivers were asked to perform everyday tasks, such as adjusting the air conditioning, changing the radio station, or modifying the screen brightness, while driving at highway speed inside a closed airfield. Time and distance were rigorously measured and contrasted with data from a previous test conducted in 2022, using the same methodology.
The findings were surprising. The average distance traveled by the driver while dividing attention between the screen and the road increased from 756 meters in 2022 to 813 meters currently. This increase corresponds to an additional time of approximately two seconds to complete each operation on the 2026 systems. To illustrate the level of risk, at 100 km/h, a vehicle covers almost 28 meters per second, many of which can be covered without the driver paying attention.
A particularly revealing aspect is that this problem persists even with the implementation of larger, better-positioned screens equipped with faster processors. The Mercedes-Benz CLA, which uses the manufacturer's most current operating system, required 35 seconds of interaction to complete the tasks, representing 15 seconds more than the GLB evaluated in 2022. Furthermore, this model took 19 seconds to respond to commands after being unlocked, covering an average of 1,116 meters, making it the second worst score in the test, only behind the Mazda CX-60, with 1,137 meters.
On the other hand, the Volvo XC60 showed the best performance, recording an average of 485 meters per task. However, even this result was 68 meters lower than that obtained by the Volvo C40 Recharge during the 2022 test. Unexpected changes were observed: the Tesla Model Y surpassed the Model 3 that had been evaluated four years earlier, indicating that not all software progress results in a deterioration of the driving experience. The data also contests the popular belief that physical buttons are always superior. The 2026 XC60, predominantly screen-based, performed better than the 2016 V60, which had more analog controls, and also outperformed the 2005 Volvo V70 tested in 2022. This suggests that the issue lies less with the screen itself and more with interfaces that concentrate multiple functions into menus, keeping the driver's focus away from the road for excessive time.
