will our courts follow suit with touch screen cars

[nu11eaf]

I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it:

Tesla touchscreen wiper controls land driver with fine after crash - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53666222

[svensktoppen]

Interesting.

I don't think using permanently installed equipment in a car is against the law in the UK? As in you are allowed to use the radio/multimedia, hands-free phones, and so on while driving.

But there is always the catch-all in the event of an accident that the driver needs to be in control of the vehicle at all times. So if messing about with a touch screen (or complicated buttons...) causes an accident then I imagine that could be used against you here too.

[nu11eaf]

It may become unlawful if our country follows suit. I do think it is distracting and try to avoid using it while driving.

[Philip Fisher]

An interesting article.

It is a bit of a nonsense really as the car has European type approval. So if it passes type approval with difficult to adjust wipers then why penalise the driver?

I guess the German courts probably argued that a reasonably competent driver could adjust the wipers and not crash.

Having been in a Model 3 I am not sure that a reasonably competent driver can adjust this setting without significant distraction.......

[EssexExile]

I really don't like using the touchscreen while driving, I much prefer physical buttons and knobs one can grab hold of without looking. It's odd that both the inbuilt system and Android Auto won't let you use the touchscreen while driving for some things but will let you use it for others.

[FullFat]

Personally I don't think that a touch screen is safe or easy to use whilst driving. If the voice control worked then it wouldn't be an issue but it just doesn't get along with my accent!

I wish Volvo would introduce a wheel for navigating the screen/apps whilst driving

[chudbond007]

Having recently gone from a mainly "analogue" MY15 XC60 to a fully "digital" MY20 V60 I agree that the touch screen is a distraction. Lovely as it is to have all this tech at your fingertips, I now spend more time looking at the screen than I used to. Having said that, I use Pilot Assist almost all the time on the motorway and I'm pretty happy with it so far. The voice interaction works well for most of the things you want to change such as temperature and nav so I will do more of that. I wouldn't be surprised to see Volvo bring out an update to limit physical interaction with the touchscreen whilst driving unless Pilot Assist is active.

[Bashy]

I would say thaty it IS already illegal here and will fall under the same category, a phone in effect, if you're caught fiddling with the console for X amount of time, that will be classed as under care and attention, regardless as to what you're doing on the console, you take your eye off the road for longer than a glance and you would be clobbered here too, I would say that the console is perhaps worse than a phone in some respects, certainly for myself, my phone is literally above the dash in the right hand corner, literally eye movements for checking satnav direction, with the center console, you have to move your head for anything longer than a quick glance (uncomcertable on the eyes) for say going through menus etc, so yeah, that would be illegal, the law is

You must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times. The police can stop you if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted and you can be prosecuted.

So, if you're moving your head constantly to the center, you can get nobbled

[palwing]

Interestingly, talking on a phone is illegal as it’s considered distracting, etc. However, I believe that holding a CB radio microphone and talking on it is ok?

[Steve XC60]

I agree with Bashy.

If you are fiddling with your screen in a manner that causes you to be distracted then you may find you are prosecuted for driving without due care and attention. It is no defence to say that the screen is a part of the car or that you were trying to alter the speed of the windscreen wipers.

In relation to the original post, my understanding is that to get type approval you need a windscreen wiping system that can be turned on and off by the driver and that system must have at least two speeds (within defined parameters). I am not a Tesla driver, but I understand that there is a traditional stalk with traditional windscreen wiper controls on it. These controls allow the driver to turn on and off the wipers and to change the speed between a number of settings. Accordingly, the windscreen wiper system on the Tesla will meet type approval requirements.

If, buried in the settings within the smartscreen menus, there is an ability to minutely alter the windscreen wiper speed so that when the car is next stuck in a meteor shower just outside Alpha Centauri, you can set them to "warp speed" so as to get them to go quick enough to get rid of the falling rocks, then fiddling with those settings while driving in the rain is unlikely to count as "driving with due care and attention".