VIRTUAL DISPLAY TOUCH SCREEN DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM

An automobile vehicle information system includes a touchscreen having a touchscreen capacitive sensing grid. The touchscreen displays graphics and detects touch events using the touchscreen capacitive sensing grid. A virtual touchscreen and display device is in communication with and receives the touch events detected by the touchscreen via a first digital communication link. The virtual touchscreen and display device generates graphics and maps touch coordinates to intended functions. A location of a failed virtual switch is mapped by the virtual touchscreen and display device based on screen coordinates provided by the touchscreen, the virtual touchscreen and display device generating a switch failure signal identifying the failed virtual switch. A control unit diagnoses the switch failure signal and generates a default action according to a virtual switch type.