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VW Design Chief: Buttons Are Back in Cars, Not Just on Phones

Volkswagen removed many of the physical controls from its initial electric vehicles and consequently went through a lengthy, difficult learning process.

  • Volkswagen plans to reintroduce physical keys for control, beginning with the ID.2 model.
  • In all upcoming models, the primary controls will be buttons instead of touch panels on the steering wheel.
  • Another car manufacturer that recognized in-car displays are far from perfect is Mercedes.

Car manufacturers are gradually beginning to address complaints from both automotive journalists and vehicle owners that have persisted for nearly ten years: Integrating all of a car’s functionalities into a single touchscreen is not as effective as providing specific physical buttons for crucial operations.

One of the companies that plans to revert to using physical keys is Volkswagen , whose recent models have become overly reliant on touch controls, with features either hidden within a touchscreen interface or moved to an irritating haptic feedback panel.

For quite some time, we've been aware that Volkswagen was contemplating reintroducing physical buttons in their vehicles; however, the company never formally confirmed these plans. Recently, though, Andreas Mindt, who heads up VW's design division, has confessed to this idea. Autocar This method proved to be a misstep, and the car manufacturer is now reversing course on this trend.

“From the ID.2all From now on, we will include physical buttons for the five key features: volume control, temperature adjustment on both sides of the vehicle, fan operation, and hazard lights, located below the screen," Mindt explained. Autocar. He stated, "We will include them in all our cars moving forward. We vow to never repeat this error again. Physical buttons will be placed on the steering wheel instead. This eliminates any ambiguity. The experience offers tangible feedback; it’s genuine, and customers appreciate this approach. To clarify, a vehicle isn’t akin to a smartphone."

Photo by: Volkswagen

The five functions that will have dedicated controls are in addition to criteria set by Euro NCAP, which plans to incorporate these into its safety assessments beginning in 2026 If a vehicle lacks manual controls for the horn, windshield wipers, turn signals, hazard lights, and SOS features, it will not attain the highest five-star rating.

Therefore, it's not only journalists who view shifting towards touch-only interfaces as unwise. Matthew Avery, the director of strategic development at NCAP, pointed out that "what we are witnessing currently is an increasing number of accidents occurring due to distractions from these interfaces." Politico .

You'll understand why that isn’t surprising if you've ridden in a contemporary Volkswagen, similar to this one. an ID.4 , which requires you to use illuminated touch sliders beneath the display for adjusting the cabin temperature or media volume (though the 2024 update did add backlighting across all models except the entry-level one). If you wish to precisely control your climate settings, you have to do so via the touchscreen—an option that feels more cumbersome than necessary, particularly when Volkswagen’s infotainment system isn’t functioning optimally.

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Volkswagen worsened the driving experience by replacing traditional buttons with haptic panels on the steering wheel. Thesepanels might be triggered inadvertently during use, and they often fail to react consistently when intentional contact ismade.

Mercedes is another brand that fully embraced displays, with its touchscreen controls positioned on the steering wheel being particularly notable. more annoying than VW’s. Like VW, Mercedes should also go back to buttons and knobs after the company’s Chief Design Officer, Gorden Wagener, admitted that “ screens aren’t luxury. This statement originates from a car manufacturer that provides an extensive 56-inch display consisting of three screens fitted across the entirety of the dashboard.

Expense has significantly fueled this shift. Car manufacturers understand that incorporating a large display in contemporary vehicles is essential for drawing buyers. Consequently, integrating every function into a single touchscreen becomes more straightforward and economical compared to procuring and installing multiple tangible buttons. This approach has resulted in considerable user frustrations, exemplified by decisions made by brands such as Volkswagen and Volvo. Their windows switch far more irritating for mere cents in savings. .

Tesla initiated this trend with the original Model S And with its enormous display that made everything appear somewhat outdated. Despite being an impressive screen that pushed traditional car manufacturers to struggle to keep up, once the initial excitement faded, many began questioning if relying solely on a screen for the experience was truly superior.

This issue became more pronounced with subsequent Tesla models. The introduction of the Model 3 Highland pushed minimalist design even further by eliminating the turn signal, windshield wiper, and gear shift stalks. This makes their vehicles the sole offerings in today’s automotive landscape that necessitate swiping on a touchscreen to switch between drive and reverse gears. Thankfully, Tesla acknowledged that discarding the indicator stalk went too far. And it will probably return it, albeit in a streamlined version devoid of extra features.

Gradually, these businesses appear to be realizing that physical buttons can be crucial for safety at high speeds of 65 mph on the highway. Even if this adds a few extra cents per vehicle for manufacturers like Volkswagen and Tesla, it appears to be a valuable compromise.