Automakers that once raced to eliminate physical controls in favor of sleek touchscreen interiors are now reversing course, as safety concerns and customer frustration mount. From Volkswagen to Audi and even Tesla, manufacturers are reintroducing tactile buttons and knobs after years of promoting screen-dominated cabins.
The shift comes as regulators and drivers push back against over-digitized dashboards, according to Business Insider. Audi’s upcoming 2027 e-tron refresh promises a more tactile experience, Ferrari’s first electric vehicle emphasizes physical controls, and Tesla has reportedly redesigned its once-flush door handles. Volkswagen’s head of design, Andreas Mindt, has publicly acknowledged that filling cars with screens was a mistake, emphasizing that a car is not a smartphone.
The touchscreen takeover began largely with Tesla. The original Model S centered its interior around a massive 17-inch display, creating a futuristic aesthetic while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost. Developing and validating physical switches is expensive, and replacing them with a central screen allowed automakers to streamline hardware.
Other brands followed suit. Volkswagen’s ID.4 dropped traditional climate knobs. Rivian hid door handles within body panels. Ford installed large tablet-style displays in the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning. Tesla went even further, temporarily removing physical turn-signal stalks before later restoring them.
Early EV adopters, often tech-savvy consumers, embraced the minimalism. But as electric vehicles expanded into the mainstream market, usability concerns became more pronounced. Touchscreens require drivers to divert their gaze, increasing distraction. Unlike physical buttons, digital controls lack tactile feedback, making it harder to adjust settings by feel alone.
Regulatory scrutiny has intensified. China has moved to restrict certain flush door handle designs. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has examined complaints tied to electronic door mechanisms. In Europe, safety bodies have signaled that excessive reliance on screens could affect vehicle ratings.
Automakers are not abandoning digital interfaces entirely. Instead, many are restoring physical controls for high-frequency and safety-critical functions such as climate adjustments, hazard lights, volume, and wipers, while leaving navigation and infotainment within software menus.
The industry’s recalibration reflects a broader realization: drivers expect to operate essential controls without looking away from the road. In the push to make cars feel like smartphones, manufacturers overlooked a key distinction. Unlike phones, cars must be safely operated at highway speeds.
