A new survey reveals almost half (47%) of UK drivers believe touchscreen dashboards make driving more distracting when compared to using physical buttons.
The survey, by car insurers Quotezone.co.uk, highlights growing safety concerns about modern dashboards, as safety authorities begin to clamp down on the new technology.
Touchscreens have become synonymous with modern cars and research suggests 97% of new cars released since 2023 featured a central touchscreen.
By 2030, analysts are predicting that the average size of a vehicle dashboard will reach 10.6 inches – the same size as most mid-sized tablet devices.
According to Quotezone’s survey, one in three (31%) drivers already feel car touchscreens are too big, with future increases likely to be unwelcome amongst motorists.
The safety of car touchscreens has also been brought into question by independent car safety bodies in different regions across the globe.
From the start of 2026, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) began downgrading the safety rating of cars that don’t have physical buttons or switches for indicators, hazard lights, horns, windscreen wipers, and the SOS function.
Similar concerns have been raised by the independent car safety assessment program for Australia and New Zealand (ANCAP Safety), asking manufacturers to “bring back buttons” for important driver controls from 2026. China is following suit with new cars needing to feature physical buttons for key functions from 1st July 2026.
Many cars already restrict drivers from using certain touchscreen functions such as texting while a car is in motion. More than half, 53%, of the motorists surveyed said they would support restrictions on functions such as built-in music players and sat navs.
Greg Wilson, car insurance expert and CEO at Quotezone.co.uk, said: “Using a mobile phone while driving is rightly banned due to the distraction it causes, but our survey shows that modern car touchscreens are becoming increasingly distracting.
“Drivers are now expected to adjust essential settings with a swipe or touch through menus and screens rather than simple buttons, which can take people’s attention away from the road for longer than many realise.
“Touchscreens are predicted to increase in size in the next few years, but with safety concerns gaining momentum around the world, it’s time to review this innovation and make sure safety is the top priority.
“Distraction is one of the main contributing factors to collisions on our roads, drivers need to be wary and make sure they don’t let anything inside or outside the car distract their attention.”
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