Whether it's a rotary wheel, touchscreen or touchpad: operating infotainment and the like in the car can be quite a distraction. In some models, this is greater than in others, the ADAC determined in a test. The best performers are Mazda and BMW.
More and more functions increase the risk of distraction in the cockpit of modern cars via touchscreen, rotary knob or touchpad. The operation of the Tesla Model 3 requires a lot of attention, as a test by the ADAC showed. But the systems of other manufacturers are not perfect either.
In the evaluation, the focus was on safety aspects; Ease of use and the range of functions only played a secondary role. Voice control, where available, has not been taken into account.
Test winners are the compact models Mazda3 and BMW 1 Series with the overall grade "good". Both scored with the intuitive usability of safety-related functions, and the testers also liked the fact that there is a separate air conditioning control.
With some other manufacturers, this is now hidden in the menu structure of the touchscreen and is therefore more difficult to use while driving. The experts rated as a disadvantage that in both models the infotainment system is operated via a rotary pushbutton, which leads to a longer input time.
The VW Golf and Dacia Duster, where the infotainment is controlled via a touchscreen, only managed to place in the middle of the field. In the Golf, this also applies to the air conditioning, which the testers rated as cumbersome. The touchpad system of the Mercedes A-Class, which was quite difficult to use, was also not approved.
The operating system in the Tesla Model 3 comes in last place with the grade "sufficient". In the electric car, almost all functions are controlled via touchscreen - including the safety-related ones. The automobile club therefore measured by far the longest service and thus distraction times. When it comes to the ease of use of the infotainment system, however, the Tesla performs best in the test field.
