Why the 2025 is less safe than the earlier years

[Sykotyk]

I think this does not take into account the better design of Ford's interface than 90% of other touchscreen cars I have seen. The row of easy access buttons along the bottom eliminates a lot of hunt and peck. It is also mounted high enough in Maverick and my Escape that you can still catch movement and brake-lights ahead while looking at it.

IMO this is one of the safest screens there is, and due to interface improvement and better responsiveness, it may be safer than the 2022-24 models. Though coming from one of those there would be an acclimatisation delay.

I was however fortunate to learn to drive, and gain experience driving before phones. Thus really learned the "road first" thing. When younger gens have been accustomed to instantly respond to their phone/screen, they probably find it super hard to break that habit, and thus the driving isn't first. Before it was actually illegal to phone and drive, I have cut off calls, tossed the phone on the seat, dumped a coffee in the pass footwell etc because sudden situations developed. If you'd rather die than let go of your phone, you will die.

I rented a Lexus that had what would be a 10 inch tablet in the middle and it was a pain to operate while driving. Such a waste of space. That and it was impossible to use for navigator through android auto as it didn't want to use the full screen.

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[Darryl]

So do you look at the screen to change settings or not?

i guess. But no more than a person looks (even subconsciously) when they reach for the physical controls. People subconsciously look where their hand goes. But unless someone measures the time in millisecond intervals, it's hard to say conclusively that THIS particular screen is more distracting than Last year's physical controls. So i can't say for certain. But i can say that the physical controls on this particular touchscreen is the least distracting that i've ever seen on a ford or any other vehicle based on its design and location.

 

[TheSEARCH]

i guess. But no more than a person looks (even subconsciously) when they reach for the physical controls. People subconsciously look where their hand goes. But unless someone measures the time in millisecond intervals, it's hard to say conclusively that THIS particular screen is more distracting than Last year's physical controls. So i can't say for certain. But i can say that the physical controls on this particular touchscreen is the least distracting that i've ever seen on a ford or any other vehicle based on its design and location.

How about when the sun is low and the screen is at least for me impossible to see at ALL? Or maybe younger people don't have this issue?

 

[Blue_Max]

No one who likes using a touchscreen will ever be convinced that a touchscreen is less safe no matter what evidence is provided. It's just like trying to convince people who constantly talk on the phone while driving that the phone is a distraction and is detrimental to their awareness and driving ability.

 

[HaveMave]

I stumbled upon this thread reading word safer. That is a wrong choice for title. Rather makes sense to say ‘is 2025 more distracting?’ I thought restraint or other safety features are compromised and worried for a while. The 2025 is no safer or worse than prior models and buttons are completely personal choice. For some buttons are less distracting while some others screen. I have 2025 and the best features of any cars I own is voice text. When someone texts you, it reads and replies through voice. And does so smoothly. That and with wireless CarPlay my phone does not get out of pocket. Tell me you haven’t look at phone when someone text you or while you drive. In this age you look at your phone more or climate control more? I rather find pressing multiple buttons to confirm seatbelt, door lock, trips, tire pressure etc, that is distracting.

 

[Blue_Max]

I have 2025 and the best features of any cars I own is voice text. When someone texts you, it reads and replies through voice. And does so smoothly.

My 2024 XLT does that.

 

[Darryl]

How about when the sun is low and the screen is at least for me impossible to see at ALL? Or maybe younger people don't have this issue?

I am 60. Maybe that's not old. But it certainly not Young. I have never seen a case where the climate controls were difficult to see at all. And I have driven in noonday sun, morning glare, and afternoon glare. I have had to squint, pull my sun visor down, and shift my head on occasion to safely see where I was going some mornings and evenings when driving into the sunrise and sunset. But I have never had the least bit of difficulty seeing the climate controls. The background is black contrasted by either red blue or white. I wear bifocals. I have a pair with lines. And I have a pair with progressive lenses. No problem with either. Again, I think it comes down to preference rather than safety with this particular vehicle and its climate controls. Nothing is wrong with preferring one or the other. I just think that the safety Factor is nonexistent in my opinion.

 

[heady]

Glare issue is a new one, I've not heard about before. Never experienced it in any driving condition, I can't even see any likely sunlight angle that would cause a problem based on the screen position, sounds like made up concern trolling, like most everything else. Maybe invest in a pair of $5 polarized glasses if it's some real problem.

I suspect no one will have the data gathering abilities to ever prove any safety differential between model years, one that is unlikely to actually exist to any measurable degree, and it would be an exceedingly difficult task and unlikely to be a large enough sample size to statistically eliminate all other confounding factors in a true multivariate analysis. You could measure and metric the relative distraction score using a model like Drexel's Distract-R if anyone actually cared, but even then you'd have a lot more work to do to prove out an actual statistically significant on-road, real world safety differential. Until then, all we have is jumping to unsubstantiated conclusions way off in the weeds at the margins. Too much focus on trivial minutia, must be a slow news and work day when these crop up...

 

[Darryl]

Glare issue is a new one, I've not heard about before. Never experienced it in any driving condition, I can't even see any likely sunlight angle that would cause a problem based on the screen position, sounds like made up concern trolling, like most everything else. Maybe invest in a pair of $5 polarized glasses if it's some real problem.

I suspect no one will have the data gathering abilities to ever prove any safety differential between model years, one that is unlikely to actually exist to any measurable degree, and it would be an exceedingly difficult task and unlikely to be a large enough sample size to statistically eliminate all other confounding factors in a true multivariate analysis. You could measure and metric the relative distraction score using a model like Drexel's Distract-R if anyone actually cared, but even then you'd have a lot more work to do to prove out an actual statistically significant on-road, real world safety differential. Until then, all we have is jumping to unsubstantiated conclusions way off in the weeds at the margins. Too much focus on trivial minutia, must be a slow news and work day when these crop up...

Yeah , that part

 

[Darryl]

How does that work for people who are mute? And I HATE auto climate because it decides how hard to blow. Some people have eye issues, not me but someone who rides with me, and they can't handle strong wind in their eyes. It should not be required to wear safety goggles so the truck can control the climate instead of me turning a knob. 360 camera DOES not keep your eyes on the road and the point of the article is people looking away at the screen is the safety problem. So now you have MORE reasons to look away from the road?

Every vehicle with automatic climate control allows a manual override of the blower speed. So that particular thing is a none issue. Touch the fan speed button and it reverts to manual control

 

[heady]

People should also actually read the referenced 2022 article about the Swedish study, the differential between a simple, well designed touch screen interface with the controls at the bottom of the screen like the Maverick (Volvo C40) differential in road distance to perform a function vs. the physical controls in the 2005 V70 was absolutely trivial. There are bad touch screen interfaces that almost quadruple the time to function completion due to layered complexity, low mounting position, lack of finger register shelf, but the one like in the Mav is very much like the C40 - simple and straight forward, high mount nearer driving sight line (even higher than the C40) and so on.

 

[HenryFord]

I think once the voice systems are more "conversational" and people are used to arbitrarily addressing the "HAL" it will start to become more seamless and less cumbersome to do some things in the vehicle.

I was watching a husband and wife out test driving a car yesterday and shot a YouTube video. They are both avid EV drivers. She drives an ID4 and he is driving a new Model 3. They were driving the new mid cycle refresh Ioniq 5 Limited with the HUD. They both loved the HUD and he even commented how much nicer that was than looking at the screen in his Tesla. Also the blind spot monitoring was displayed on the HUD, turn by turn was displayed, pretty much most of the stuff that we are looking around for and messing with was there. Now to get that nice HUD you had to be in the Limited which is the top trim. But it gives me hope that future vehicles will have something like this as standard so that all this fiddling around and looking around isn't really needed anymore. Of course the self driving thing is coming, but this certainly seems like a step up from where we are today with most vehicles.

 

[Darryl]

I think once the voice systems are more "conversational" and people are used to arbitrarily addressing the "HAL" it will start to become more seamless and less cumbersome to do some things in the vehicle.

I was watching a husband and wife out test driving a car yesterday and shot a YouTube video. They are both avid EV drivers. She drives an ID4 and he is driving a new Model 3. They were driving the new mid cycle refresh Ioniq 5 Limited with the HUD. They both loved the HUD and he even commented how much nicer that was than looking at the screen in his Tesla. Also the blind spot monitoring was displayed on the HUD, turn by turn was displayed, pretty much most of the stuff that we are looking around for and messing with was there. Now to get that nice HUD you had to be in the Limited which is the top trim. But it gives me hope that future vehicles will have something like this as standard so that all this fiddling around and looking around isn't really needed anymore. Of course the self driving thing is coming, but this certainly seems like a step up from where we are today with most vehicles.

Or it might be the fact that we old farts feel stupid talking to an inanimate object no matter how seemless it works.
I'm one that would rather "press one" on an automated system than SAY what I want unless I'm driving or otherwise occupied. I'm a young "Boomer" . So I can adapt to old or new. And I'll say "representative" rather than navigate through a maze of voice commands or presses. Unless it's to ask a really stupid question or ask my Bank balance if I think it's low

 

[Billiam238]

i've had the 2025 for a week now, drove 2600 mile road trip the day after i bought it .. the screen is only a big deal to those who dont drive it. I am coming from a 2020 camry that was all physical buttons and honestly i think they compare to each other.

 

[Darryl]

A button ? Not voice control?

I say button. But I'm referring to the touchscreen. I guess it can be controlled by voice, but I see no need to talk to the truck when touching the touchscreen is so simple. I'll save my talking for asking Alexa stupid questions when I'm driving and bored

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