Rejoice! Carmakers Are Embracing Physical Buttons Again

Automakers are shifting away from touchscreen-dominated cockpits to add physical buttons, aiming to improve safety ratings as Europe’s crash-testing body pushes for tangible controls. Examples include Volkswagen adding volume, seat heating, and hazard light buttons in its next-gen models, while Mazda keeps a mix of digital and analog dials for functions like heater, air conditioning, and heated seats. Meanwhile, 89% of drivers prefer physical buttons over touchscreens, though this trend may come at the cost of usability as modern cars increasingly favor digital interfaces.