‘Bigger is better’: Massive in-vehicle screens are the new normal at San Diego International Auto Show

A product specialist in the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles demonstrating the 12in in-vehicle touchscreen display, in a 2019 Ram 2500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4 pickup truck. — TNS

There's one similarity among the hundreds of shining new cars and trucks on display at the San Diego International Auto Show: their dashboard displays are getting bigger.

Inspired, no doubt, by the mammoth displays in Tesla's vehicles, automakers from Ford and Fiat Chrysler to Lexus and Subaru are rolling out models loaded with driver-facing screens nearly as wide as a ruler. But the size – and increasing complexity – of these screens have sparked debate about whether large displays are more or less safe for drivers.