[video=dailymotion;x2qtnm4]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2qtnm4[/video]
Touch screens should be completely disabled when a car is in motion. They should also not display anything when the car is in motion that isn't necessary to the operation of the car and takes more than a second to comprehend. The reasons there are laws against playing videos or handling a phone are just as relevant for touch screens. Any distraction from driving such as looking away from the road to get information from a screen or to see where to touch one to accomplish some task is a BAD thing. Even looking down at the speedometer or other gauges is a minor distraction but some are a practical necessity based on what was or is available. Any distraction will cause some accidents and death so we should NOT create them when there are safer alternatives such as knobs and switches that you can quickly feel without taking your eyes off the road. Leave the touch screens to aircraft or boats that aren't navigating feet apart.
I have to say something about the anti-texting comment though because texting was never a problem; handling a phone, typing and reading texts was a problem. Texting became a bad word because in the past it involved those behaviors but they aren't required, so its a lot like "guns don't kill people, people kill people". Texting while driving doesn't kill people, handling a phone, typing or reading while driving kills people. Texting is communicating via text. But the text can be created by speaking and consumed by listening alone with absolutely no need to look at or touch anything. So receiving and sending texts that way is actually safer while driving than looking at a map or even a hands free phone call or talking to a passenger.
When I get a text while driving, my phone mutes anything I'm listening to thru the car's infotainment system and announces the text thru the car's speakers and asks if I want to have it read. I can say yes (thru the car's handsfree microphone) and the phone will read the text thru the car's sound system and ask me if I want to dictate a response. At no time do I need to touch ANYTHING or take my eyes off the road. This doesn't require even the slightest accomodation by the car, its purely a phone function that works with any car with blue tooth.
Just a comment about outdated and inaccurate definitions of "texting".