Is onboard tech actually safe?

Given it’s illegal to use a handheld mobile phone in your car, and you could now get six points on your licence if you’re caught doing so, why is it acceptable to use a built-in touch-screen instead? And why are more and more modern cars insisting on this as your main way of interacting with everything from the radio to the heating and ventilation controls?
In this video Rory Reid explores the issue, looking at why manufacturers are making drivers increasingly reliant on this technology as the rush to make everything in our lives work like our smartphones gathers pace. Everything including our cars.

From the early days of tiny sat-nav units with fiddly controls to the modern era of wide-screen displays powered by fully connected operating systems in sync with our diaries, phones, social media and home smart speakers, things have changed beyond recognition in just a few short years. But from initial research suggesting using a handheld phone added 15 metres to the typical stopping distance from 70mph it seems the problem of tech distracted driving is only getting more serious.
As Rory discovers, safety researchers have been carrying out detailed tests with volunteers on simulators to explore just how impaired they might be while conducting everyday and perfectly legal tasks like hands-free phone calls or interacting with apps through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. And the results are pretty shocking. Is it too late to go back, given the tech genie is now well and truly out of the bottle? And should we be campaigning for a return of physical knobs and switches in our cars instead of putting everything through screens and touch-sensitive surfaces? Or is there other tech that can help us stay safe and enjoy all our gadgets at the same time? Check out the video for the full story and let us know your views in the comments below. And if you liked it don’t forget to tell us and make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great content like this!