Are infotainment systems making us distracted drivers?

OVER the years, cars have become more complex. From a simple mode of transportation that merely consisted of wheels, lights, engine, brakes and a steering wheel, cars now have as much electronics as a Nimitz class warship. As we demand more out of our cars, all of these functions eventually need to be housed in one single unit in a bid to make things simpler. Because of this, almost all cars nowadays come with an infotainment system.

What used to be a simple 1-DIN or even 2-DIN radio eventually became a screen that consolidated all of a vehicle's features into one single unit. In theory, that should make our ever-so-connected vehicles easier to operate. After all, controlling everything through a central screen is easier than having physical buttons right? Well, this couldn't be any further from the truth.