NHTSA Complaint #10918676 — 2016 VOLVO XC90

THE TOUCH SCREEN, WHICH CONTROLS BOTH BASIC AND COMPLEX FUNCTIONS OF THE CAR, IS SO DISTRACTING TO USE THAT UNTIL SATURDAY IT WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. ON SATURDAY THAT ACCIDENT DID HAPPEN. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TOUCH SCREEN IS NEEDED TO CONTROL BASIC AND FREQUENT FUNCTIONS SUCH AS CLIMATE CONTROL AND THE RADIO. MERELY CHANGING THE TEMPERATURE REQUIRES AS MUCH ATTENTION - AND DIVERSION FROM DRIVING - AS USING A CELL PHONE MIGHT. WHILE CHANGING THE TEMPERATURE MY WIFE SIDESWIPED A GUARD RAIL ON A COUNTRY ROAD. FORTUNATELY THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT TOO BAD BUT I'VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT THE DISTRACTION CAUSED BY THIS CONTROL SCREEN DURING THESE MOST BASIC FUNCTIONS. I HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, STOPPED CHOOSING RADIO STATIONS ON THE SCREEN AS IT REQUIRES TOO MUCH ATTENTION AND HAVE FOUND THAT JUST TURNING OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING REQUIRES FAR MORE ATTENTION THAN IS SAFE. *TR