Cars are Adding Buttons Back
Many car makers are going back to physical knobs and buttons in their vehicles for important features like hazard lights, indicators, wipers, and air conditioning. Big companies like Volkswagen and Hyundai, after using touchscreen dashboards for years, have now learned that drivers find it difficult to use touch menus safely while driving.
From January 2026, Euro NCAP will give higher safety ratings to cars that use physical controls, encouraging the return to real buttons.
Why is This Change Necessary
Touchscreen panels in cars became popular because they gave the interior of cars a modern appearance, used less space, and matched the concept of a "smart" car. However, while driving in real life, digital menus tend to make drivers look away from the road for longer as compared to a button.
A UK Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) study showed that digital menus can slow the reaction time of the driver as much as 57%. Driving in heavy traffic conditions means that even a one-second distraction could increase the risk of an accident.
How Physical Controls Make Driving Easier
Physical controls have three major advantages. First, the touch of a button or switch could confirm that you are choosing the right option without looking away from the road. Second, repeatedly using the buttons develops muscle memory, and it becomes a habit to adjust the AC or light without even looking. Finally and most importantly, physical controls mean fewer distractions, so drivers can focus solely on the road.
Better and Safer Driving
In busy urban roads like New York, Mumbai, London, and Bengaluru, car users face constant stop-and-go traffic, congested space, and unexpected obstacles. In environments like these, every second of concentration is important.
Physical controls allow you to make changes while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road instead of on a screen. It is not just an aesthetic update, it is a practical change that makes driving safer, less stressful, and better for real-world circumstances.
With constant upgradation to vehicle designs, mixing physical controls with digital screens makes the car both advanced and simple to use, as well as make driving a lot safer.
