Opinion: Touchscreen infotainment screens suck

Opinion: Touchscreen infotainment screens suck

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The transformation brought about by technology has reshaped our daily lives in significant ways. We’ve moved from relying on animal-drawn wagons and carts to driving tech-advanced vehicles. With just a few button presses, we can now communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world. This brings me to the technology used in cars. If someone had told me 20 years ago that I would be able to have a conversation with a car or charge it like a smartphone by the year 2025, I would have dismissed it as a mere fantasy.

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That said, while technology in cars brings about modernity and convenience, there seems to be no stopping the gimmick-plugging into new cars. I, for one, long for the olden days of simplicity, when a car was just a means of transport. When you got in, you turned a key, and you were greeted by a simple interior that only consisted of a radio, a few physical buttons, and a steering wheel. No overcomplicated touchscreens or frustrating touch panels; it was just you and the car.

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But that era is long gone. Today, even the most basic vehicles come equipped with sprawling touchscreen infotainment systems. Yes, carmakers must move with the times, yet one must wonder, where is the choice in all of that, specifically for the customer, the person that gets to drive the tech-laden monstrosity? You can specify which colour stitching looks good with black leather seats, the fragrance combination, and the lighting patterns, but what about the simple choice of not having to poke at a screen just to change the air conditioning or skip a song? No such luck.

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As a motoring journalist, I've spent countless hours driving vehicles that heavily rely on touchscreens. While they have a certain elegance, a degree of user-friendliness, and crisp graphics, they are far from perfect, especially since some cars' functions rely entirely on an ability to navigate layers of feedback screens. More times than I care to admit, the touch-sensitive controls for closing and opening the sunroof would glitch out on me, forcing a full restart of the vehicle just to regain control. Also, within the TGSA team as a whole, there have been more collective glitches than we care to really analyse here. The simple explanation is that electronics are finicky, and even one degree outside of optimum operational parameters can cause an entire blackout. It happens. Regularly. Some industry colleagues have had infotainment systems freeze for days, only to mysteriously start working again. Honestly, that’s not innovation; that’s a headache waiting to happen.

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Perhaps, given South Africa's predominantly scorching climate, manufacturers need to implement dedicated cooling systems for their infotainment systems or, at the very least, conduct more rigorous real-world testing to ensure reliability. Ford SA, to its credit, has taken several measures to address the concerns regarding its malfunctioning touchscreens in the Rangers. One of the most common causes of unresponsive screens in early models is slightly disconnected pins in wiring harness connectors. The brand has since rectified the issue by ensuring proper connections and replacing faulty components where necessary.

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Beyond the technical frustrations, touchscreens in cars are downright dangerous. They demand too much attention. The same attention that should be on the road should not be dedicated to deciphering menus. Imagine needing to lower the temperature or switch radio stations while navigating SA’s unpredictable roads. Instead of a quick twist of a knob, you’re forced to take your eyes off the road to fumble through a digital interface.

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It’s not just a problem for the less tech-savvy. I’ve been using smartphones since finishing high school and even got one of the first Samsung tablets as a gift after graduating tertiary. Despite my familiarity with technology, having a massive touchscreen staring at me while navigating Joburg's morning traffic or swerving to avoid a pothole is not what I need. A complicated interface is an unwelcome distraction, and I’d rather not be on the road with drivers struggling to figure theirs out.

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Regarding the issue of overcomplicated interfaces, Bugatti has categorically refused to implement screens into its Tourbillon hypercar since tech, well, isn't exactly timeless—especially at the current rate of progress. Instead, the hypercar uses a fully mechanical instrument cluster plus toggles and dials on the centre console. I share the sentiment. Not that alone; imagine pedalling a hypercar at speeds of over 400km/h, and you still have to rely on a screen to tweak settings. Foolish.

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On that note, Volkswagen seems to have learnt a valuable lesson. This is after receiving plenty of criticism from customers and automotive journalists across the globe, including yours truly, for the implementation of touch capacitive buttons on the steering wheel, which were prone to accidental activation. These were difficult to use, and I can't tell you how many times I accidentally skipped my favourite tracks or, worse, activated the heated steering wheel in the middle of the summer. Not exactly what you want when you’re just trying to enjoy the drive.

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Driving should be about a non-connected connection to the car, to the road, and to the experience itself. Instead, modern cars are becoming rolling iPads, prioritising flashy screens over physical toggles and switch controls that have just always worked and continue to work seamlessly. Call me old-fashioned, but I long for the days when driving was about the drive, not about fiddling with technology.

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