Does haptic feedback change the way we view touchscreens in cars?

Touchscreens are increasingly being used in mobile devices and in-vehicle systems. While the usability benefits of touchscreens are acknowledged, their use places significant visual demand on the user due to the lack of tactile and kinaesthetic feedback. Haptic feedback is shown to improve performance in mobile devices, but little objective data is available regarding touchscreen feedback in an automotive scenario. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of visual and haptic touchscreen feedback on driver visual behaviour and driving performance using a simulated driving environment. Results showed a significant interaction between visual and haptic feedback, with the presence of haptic feedback compensating for changes in visual feedback. Driving performance was unaffected by feedback condition but degraded from a baseline measure when touchscreen tasks were introduced. Subjective responses indicated an improved user experience and increased confidence when haptic feedback was enabled.