Instructor hates one modern feature
A driving instructor told a local paper that one tech‑heavy feature common in modern cars makes driving feel more cluttered rather than simpler, arguing it interferes with basic skill development behind the wheel (cambridge-news.co.uk). The complaint centers on how feature overload can change the driving experience in everyday lessons (cambridge-news.co.uk).
A Cambridgeshire driving instructor told Cambridge News that he hates touchscreen-heavy dashboards because learners spend too much time hunting through menus instead of learning basic car control. (cambridge-news.co.uk) The instructor said modern cars can feel more cluttered in lessons, not simpler, because common tasks that once used switches or dials are now pushed onto a central screen. He told the paper that this changes the flow of everyday teaching in the car. (cambridge-news.co.uk) That complaint lands as car safety raters are moving the same way. Euro New Car Assessment Programme said in November 2025 that its 2026 protocols add new checks on human-machine interface, including whether commonly used functions still have physical buttons. (euroncap.com) Euro New Car Assessment Programme said the change came after consumer feedback that screens can raise distraction. The group said it will assess the placement, clarity and ease of use of essential controls as safety technology gets more complex. (euroncap.com) Research has pointed in the same direction for years. A Transport Research Laboratory simulator study for IAM RoadSmart found touch-control use in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto kept drivers’ eyes off the road longer than United States safety guidelines recommend, while voice control stayed within those limits. (trl.co.uk) That study also found drivers sometimes looked away for as long as 16 seconds and reacted more slowly when using touch controls, with the effect worse than texting in earlier comparison work cited by the researchers. At 70 miles per hour, the report said, that can mean more than 500 metres travelled with attention split. (trl.co.uk) The shift to screens has been driven partly by design and software economics. A single display can replace rows of dedicated buttons, and carmakers can update functions through software instead of redesigning physical hardware. (sciencedirect.com) Not every digital feature is under attack. Euro New Car Assessment Programme said its 2026 update still backs driver-assistance systems, but it will now judge them on real-world driving as well as test-track performance after complaints about intrusive warnings and interventions. (euroncap.com) For driving lessons, the argument is narrower than a general anti-technology rant. The instructor’s point was that beginners need to build habits around observation, steering, speed and road position before a dashboard starts asking them to swipe, tap and scroll. (cambridge-news.co.uk) That leaves a simple divide inside newer cars: software can add features, but instructors and safety raters are both pushing for the most-used controls to stay easy to find without taking your eyes off the road. (cambridge-news.co.uk)
