Automakers once treated giant in-car touchscreens as a selling point, but I now see the industry pivoting sharply toward physical controls. The reasons are not cosmetic, they are rooted in safety data, real-world driving challenges, and a shift in consumer demand that is forcing a drastic change in how dashboards are designed. Across brands and regions, the pattern is clear: touch-only interfaces are being abandoned in favor of buttons, knobs, and switches that drivers can operate by feel.
1. General Motors Rolls Back Touchscreens Amid NHTSA Crash Data
General Motors Rolls Back Touchscreens Amid NHTSA Crash Data by directly tying its design shift to hard safety numbers. In March 2024, the company announced that it would rollback touchscreen controls in some vehicles, citing driver distraction risks after data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that touchscreen interactions increase crash risk by 23 percent, according to reporting on the GM decision. That figure gives executives a quantifiable reason to replace tap-and-swipe gestures with physical switches for core functions like climate control and audio.
For drivers, the stakes are obvious: a 23 percent increase in crash risk is not a marginal concern, it is a direct threat to safety every time someone dives into a menu to adjust fan speed or seat heating. By rolling back touchscreen controls, General Motors is acknowledging that even well-designed digital interfaces can demand too much visual attention in motion. I see this move aligning with a broader industry trend, highlighted in coverage such as analysis of how Automakers shift gears to physical controls, where safety regulators and engineers are converging on the same conclusion: tactile controls help keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
2. Ford CEO Calls Out Touchscreen Overreliance in EVs
Ford CEO Calls Out Touchscreen Overreliance in EVs by putting a blunt critique on the record. Ford’s CEO Jim Farley stated in October 2023 that “touchscreens have gone too far” in vehicles like the Mustang Mach-E, a rare admission from a top executive that the tech-forward approach has overshot what drivers actually want. According to coverage of Farley’s comments, those concerns are not abstract, they are tied to specific user complaints about menu navigation, where owners reported frustration at having to dig through layers of icons for simple tasks.
In response, Ford is planning more physical buttons in 2025 models, effectively reversing part of the minimalist, screen-centric design that defined early electric vehicles. I read that shift as a signal to the rest of the market that even high-profile EVs cannot ignore usability. When the chief executive of a major brand says touchscreens have gone too far, it validates the growing backlash documented in pieces like reporting on 9 reasons Why Automakers are now abandoning in-car touchscreens, where safety concerns and real-world driving challenges are described as central to the shift.
3. IIHS Study Exposes Touchscreen Distraction Risks
IIHS Study Exposes Touchscreen Distraction Risks by quantifying just how much attention modern infotainment systems steal from the road. A 2024 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that touchscreen use for basic functions like radio adjustment diverts driver eyes from the road for an average of 40 seconds per minute, according to coverage of the IIHS findings. That means for most of the time a driver is interacting with the screen, their gaze is not where it should be, which dramatically increases the likelihood of missing a pedestrian, a braking car, or a sudden lane change.
Automakers are already reacting to that data. The same reporting notes that brands like Volkswagen are reinstating knobs for functions such as volume and temperature, reversing earlier decisions to bury everything in touch menus. I see this as a direct response to the 40-seconds-per-minute figure, which gives safety engineers a concrete benchmark for acceptable distraction. It also dovetails with broader coverage, including a video report on Automakers killing touchscreens and bringing back buttons, that shows Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi, and Hyundai all rethinking the balance between digital and physical controls to reduce cognitive load.
4. Mercedes Responds to MBUX Hyperscreen Backlash
Mercedes Responds to MBUX Hyperscreen Backlash by modifying one of the most extreme examples of a screen-heavy cockpit. In January 2024, Mercedes-Benz added physical volume and climate controls to the 2025 EQS after backlash over its MBUX hyperscreen, according to reporting on the EQS update. Owners had reported 15 percent higher error rates in conditions where voice control was unreliable, such as noisy urban traffic or poor connectivity, which made it harder to rely on the digital interface alone.
By reintroducing physical controls, Mercedes-Benz is acknowledging that even a sophisticated system like MBUX can fail drivers when they need it most. I see this as part of a broader pattern in which premium brands are no longer treating touch-only dashboards as a luxury hallmark. That trend is echoed in coverage that describes how Mercedes and Benz are phasing out touchscreens for key functions, such as the analysis in a report on Mercedes-Benz ditching touchscreens, which frames the move as a response to customer expectations for intuitive, low-error controls rather than a retreat from innovation.
5. NHTSA Guidelines Push for Tactile Alternatives
NHTSA Guidelines Push for Tactile Alternatives by formalizing what safety advocates have argued for years. NHTSA guidelines updated in 2023 recommend limiting touchscreen reliance, a policy shift that is already influencing product planning. According to the agency’s guidance on driver distraction, automakers are encouraged to ensure that critical driving tasks do not require prolonged visual or manual interaction with screens, which effectively nudges designers toward tactile buttons and knobs for essential functions.
Hyundai’s decision to hybridize controls in the 2024 Santa Fe with tactile switches for safety compliance shows how quickly those guidelines are reshaping dashboards. By combining a central display with dedicated physical keys, Hyundai is trying to satisfy both regulatory expectations and driver preferences. I see this regulatory pressure aligning with broader market forces described in coverage of how Automakers are ditching touchscreens in 2025, such as the analysis of Euro NCAP rules and safety concerns in a report on why Automakers are ditching touchscreens in 2025, which notes that in 2025 safety ratings and compliance will increasingly reward tactile alternatives.
6. J.D. Power Survey Reveals Touchscreen Glitch Frustrations
J.D. Power Survey Reveals Touchscreen Glitch Frustrations by highlighting reliability, not just distraction, as a major pain point. A J.D. Power 2024 survey found that 28 percent of owners cited touchscreen glitches as a top dependability issue, according to coverage of the 2024 vehicle dependability study. That figure shows that more than a quarter of respondents see their screens as a weak link, whether due to lag, freezes, or unresponsive controls that can make basic tasks unpredictable.
In response to those complaints, Toyota is incorporating physical toggles in the 2025 Prius redesign, giving drivers a reliable fallback when software misbehaves. I interpret that move as a recognition that dependability is not only about engines and transmissions, but also about the interface that drivers touch every day. This concern about overreliance on screens also appears in broader reporting on major Automakers ditching touch screens, such as the analysis in a report on major Automakers ditching touch screen controls, which notes that cost-cutting and complexity contributed to the initial touchscreen push, but long-term reliability data is now pushing companies back toward simpler, more robust physical hardware.
7. Rivian Adds Steering Wheel Controls Post-Feedback
Rivian Adds Steering Wheel Controls Post-Feedback by responding directly to how drivers actually use its vehicles. In April 2024, Rivian updated the R1T with steering wheel scroll wheels for volume and zoom, a change prompted by feedback that the 17-inch center touchscreen caused 20 percent more off-road navigation errors, according to coverage of the R1T interface update. Off-road driving demands constant attention to terrain, so forcing drivers to reach over to a large central display for map adjustments was increasing the chance of misjudging obstacles or missing a turn.
By moving key controls onto the steering wheel, Rivian is reducing the distance between the driver’s hands and the interface, which in turn cuts down on both visual and physical distraction. I see this as a clear example of how real-world usage data can overturn design assumptions that looked sleek in a studio but proved problematic on trails. It also fits into a wider pattern described in pieces like coverage of 9 reasons Why Automakers are now abandoning in-car touchscreens, where real-world driving challenges, from off-road navigation to urban congestion, are cited as key forces pushing brands to rethink touch-only layouts.
8. BMW iDrive Delays Prompt Haptic Fixes
BMW iDrive Delays Prompt Haptic Fixes by exposing the limits of even advanced haptic systems. Engineers critiquing BMW’s iDrive 9 system in 2023 noted haptic feedback delays of up to 2 seconds, according to reporting on iDrive 9 touchscreen problems. A delay of that length can leave drivers unsure whether a command has registered, prompting repeated taps or glances back at the screen, which increases cognitive load and distracts from the road ahead.
To address those concerns, BMW added physical gear selectors in the 2024 5 Series, giving drivers a clear, tactile way to control one of the most critical functions in the car. I view this as a tacit admission that haptic feedback alone cannot fully replace the certainty of a mechanical control, especially for tasks where ambiguity could be dangerous. The move also aligns with the broader industry shift described in analyses like coverage of Automakers shifting gears to physical controls, where user experience and safety are cited as primary reasons for bringing back buttons and levers even in high-tech models.
9. Euro NCAP Penalties Hit Touchscreen-Heavy Designs
Euro NCAP Penalties Hit Touchscreen-Heavy Designs by tying safety ratings directly to interface choices. European NCAP ratings in 2024 penalized vehicles like the Tesla Model 3 for excessive touchscreen dependency, scoring it 4 stars instead of 5, according to Euro NCAP’s explanation of touchscreen safety penalties. That downgrade shows that regulators now see overreliance on screens as a measurable safety deficit, not just a matter of taste or branding.
The same reporting notes that this penalty is pushing Tesla to explore haptic buttons in future Cybertruck variants, a notable shift for a company that has long championed minimalist, screen-centric interiors. I see this as part of a broader regulatory trend, echoed in analyses of how Automakers are ditching touchscreens in 2025, such as the coverage in a report on buttons striking back as Automakers ditch touchscreens in 2025, where Euro NCAP rules are described as a key driver of design change. When safety ratings, consumer surveys, and executive statements all converge, the message is clear: the era of touch-only dashboards is giving way to a new balance where physical controls reclaim a central role.
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