Share with others:
Volkswagen is returning to physical buttons
Volkswagen is bringing back physical buttons to all its vehicles after moving to touchscreens like all manufacturers in recent years. Andreas Mindt, the German car giant's head of design, called the decision to remove the buttons a "mistake" in an interview with Autocar.
This doesn't mean that touchscreens will disappear from new Volkswagens, but rather that drivers will now have the option to physically control everyday or frequently used functions. The new controls are set to make their debut in the ID.2all, a small, affordable electric vehicle.
“From the ID 2all model onwards, we will have physical buttons for the most important functions: media volume, air conditioning, ventilation intensity and activation of all four indicators,” he explained. He added that “this is not a phone, it is a car.”
Last year, Hyundai also promised to retain physical controls for important functions such as volume control and climate control, with their design director highlighting the safety benefits of the ease of use of a physical button.
A 2022 study by the Swedish automotive magazine Vi Bilägare found that drivers found it easier to perform simple tasks, such as tuning the radio to a specific channel or raising the temperature in the car, if they used “old-fashioned” buttons.
Tesla is also at least partially returning to physical button controls. The recently refreshed Model Y reintroduced steering-wheel turn signals. European regulators are also keen on the move to physical buttons. Starting January 1, 2026, new cars sold in the EU will have to have physical buttons or switches for the horn, windshield wipers, turn signals (and all four turn signals), and SOS functions if they want to receive the highest safety rating from the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
