Touchscreen displays are common features in modern cars, but many add frustration instead of easing it. The default explanation is that the technology is new (some of it is), but the first touchscreen system available in a production car dates back to the 1986 Buick Riviera's Graphic Control Center. Unlike contemporary LCD screens with high-resolution graphics and colors, the GCC was a cathode-ray tube with a green-and-black screen reminiscent of an old ATM's. The 3 x 4–inch display allowed the driver to control electronic settings such as the trip, radio, and climate with just a touch. While the GCC was undeniably ahead of its time and spread to the Buick Reatta, the carmaker dropped the system in 1990 after owners found it onerous and distracting. When PM reviewed the 1986 Riviera T Type and its touchscreen display, we were impressed with the technology but found that it "violates the First Commandment of ergonomics—you must take your eyes off the road to make any adjustments." Sound familiar?
