{"id":120007,"date":"2024-10-15T22:01:12","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T05:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=120007"},"modified":"2025-01-23T08:23:45","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T16:23:45","slug":"should-automakers-bring-back-buttons-over-touchscreens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-automakers-bring-back-buttons-over-touchscreens\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Automakers Bring Back Buttons Over Touchscreens?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 6<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column120007_cfa18b-2b inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-c60f8d  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-9ec9ff\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading120007_b30727-87, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading120007_b30727-87[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading120007_b30727-87\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading120007_b30727-87 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading120007_b30727-87[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading120007_b30727-87\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading120007_b30727-87 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading120007_b30727-87[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading120007_b30727-87\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading120007_b30727-87 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading120007_b30727-87\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The first car to have a touchscreen was the 1986 Buick Riviera, which had a &ldquo;Graphic Control Center&rdquo; with climate control functions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some drivers consider touchscreens to be too distracting, complex, and unresponsive. Plus, if the touchscreen stops working, some of the functions they hold can become inaccessible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Physical buttons offer benefits that counter the cons of touchscreens. These include tactile feedback, better efficiency, improved reliability, ease of use (in some conditions), and reduced visual distraction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that touchscreen technology has been around since the mid-60s?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It started when Eric Arthur Johnson invented the first finger-driven touchscreen for traffic control in 1965. Various sectors took up and developed the tech. In the automotive world, the first car to have a touchscreen feature rolled out in the mid-80s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it&rsquo;s a seemingly clear advancement in car technology, some automakers have been dialing back on touch screens and bringing back physical buttons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Rise of Touchscreens in Modern Vehicles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before discussing the rise of touchscreen technology in vehicles, it&rsquo;s best to look back at how and when it started. Believe it or not, the first iteration of touch screens in a car was the 1986 Buick Riviera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Buick referred to this feature as the &ldquo;Graphic Control Center,&rdquo; and had the following functions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Automatic Climate Control<\/strong>: Allowed drivers to set and maintain the desired cabin temperature.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AM\/FM Radio<\/strong>: With an optional graphic equalizer for better sound quality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trip Computer<\/strong>: Calculated and displayed trip information such as distance traveled, fuel economy, and estimated time of arrival.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gauges<\/strong>: Displayed various vehicle gauges like speed, fuel level, and engine temperature.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Vehicle Diagnostics<\/strong>: Provided information on the status of the powertrain, electrical system, brakes, and other vehicle data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, touchscreens didn&rsquo;t take off until later on. Part of the reason is because they were resistive, meaning they relied on pressure to generate a response. The technology back then also had limited accuracy, registering only one input at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn&rsquo;t until 26 years after the Riviera was launched that Tesla paved the way for vehicle touchscreen technology with the introduction of the <a href=\"https:\/\/carparts.com\/tesla\/model-s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\"Model S\">Model S<\/a>. It features a 17&Prime; touchscreen display that offers a 2200 x 1300 resolution, true colors, and responsiveness for gaming, movies, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Model S&rsquo;s touchscreen feature lets users control the interior air vents, dim the lights, navigate, and more. It&rsquo;s arguable that Model S started the vehicle touchscreen trend we see today. Newer models feature touchscreens integrated with advanced features, similar to Teslas, including GPS navigation, backup cameras, and gesture control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Disadvantages of Touchscreen Controls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, while advancements in technology are something to behold, touchscreen interfaces are not without drawbacks. Some drivers consider them to be too distracting, complex, and unresponsive. Plus, if the touchscreen stops working, some of the functions they hold can become inaccessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Distracting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Interacting with touchscreens requires you to directly look at the screen and take your eyes off the road. Unlike physical buttons, you can&rsquo;t rely on feel to operate touchscreens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This lack of tactile feedback can be detrimental. For example, according to a 2020 study by independent UK road safety nonprofit IAM RoadSmart, choosing a song on Spotify caused drivers to take their eyes off the road for up to 20 seconds. That&rsquo;s more than enough time to get cut off and cause accidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Complex<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Touchscreens are naturally complex, with some functions buried behind piles of menus, making them harder to access. It&rsquo;s time-consuming and potentially frustrating, especially if you&rsquo;re doing simple tasks like adjusting fan speed or directing airflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unresponsive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of the already complex design of touchscreens, they can be unresponsive because of the old technology they use. One reason is manufacturers tend to outsource infotainment screens instead of making their own. While this lowers production costs, the touchscreen controls aren&rsquo;t always up-to-date with the latest tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risk of Failure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One disadvantage of streamlined controls is when something malfunctions, there&rsquo;s a chance most of the operation is compromised. Once a touchscreen fails, it can render some functions inaccessible, unlike physical buttons with individual circuits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And while screens don&rsquo;t typically break, it can happen as time passes by because of the accumulated wear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Return of Physical Buttons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Complaints about the downsides of touchscreen controls in vehicles didn&rsquo;t fall on deaf ears. Volkswagen, one of the premier auto manufacturers, decided to backtrack on going buttonless, starting with the new ID. 2all concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept introduces physical, backlit buttons below the touchscreen to provide access to HVAC controls. This is due to customer feedback, especially in Europe, where consumers have asked for more physical buttons. The ID. 2all is expected to make its debut in Europe around 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advantages of Physical Buttons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"advantages of the physical buttons\" class=\"wp-image-120010\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/advantages-of-the-physical-buttons.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some advantages of reverting to buttons include having tactile feedback, better efficiency, improved reliability, ease of use (in some conditions), and reduced visual distraction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For the most part, most of us are used to having physical buttons inside our cars because they&rsquo;ve been around longer. Some advantages of reverting to buttons include having tactile feedback, better efficiency, improved reliability, ease of use (in some conditions), and reduced visual distraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tactile Feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest advantages of having physical buttons over touchscreens is tactile feedback. Physical buttons reduce the risk of distracted driving since they provide surety and can add levels of familiarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&rsquo;t have to take your eyes off the road to double-check your turning on a feature because the button&rsquo;s shape and feel are confirmation enough. It&rsquo;s similar to how people can text on keypad phones or change channels using a remote without looking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Simplicity and Efficiency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned, touchscreens have an innate problem wherein certain features are behind piles of menus. However, with physical buttons, most functions have separate buttons for you to control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether it&rsquo;s the radio, thermostat, or navigation, you&rsquo;ll likely find the button you need without digging through different menus. This is useful because you can familiarize yourself with the placement of the buttons, reducing the risks of distraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reliability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While they&rsquo;re prone to damage, physical buttons aren&rsquo;t affected by software glitches and unresponsive screens like touchscreens are. This means they&rsquo;re much more reliable, and you won&rsquo;t have to worry about program-related malfunctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, this can be to their detriment as well. When some buttons malfunction, they can affect the entire system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ease of Use in Certain Conditions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Touchscreens can be sensitive and difficult to operate under certain circumstances. For example, wearing thick gloves during winter may prevent you from operating the screen because some are made with non-conductive material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will never be an issue with physical buttons, as you can push or dial them with or without gloves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Less Visual Distraction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The tactile feedback and the lack of a screen means there&rsquo;s less chance of distraction. As mentioned, physical buttons are easy to operate because you can get used to the physical placement and what they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Less visual distraction also means lower odds of getting into accidents caused by neglecting the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Future of Car Interiors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The future of car interiors is still up in the air. We&rsquo;ve seen the rise and fall of touchscreen infotainment in the last decade. It&rsquo;s difficult to predict what the trends will be in a couple of years. However, the signs point to a vehicle interior that combines a touchscreen and physical buttons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Volkswagen&rsquo;s ID. 2all concept is proof of this. Its infotainment system will still have the touchscreen features introduced by the Tesla while having a row of reliable and easy-to-access buttons beneath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get a Replacement Information Display Screen From Your Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A malfunctioning information display screen might show inaccurate readings or stop working altogether, depriving you of critical information. Driving your vehicle isn&rsquo;t recommended until you&rsquo;ve replaced the faulty electronic part. Fortunately, you can order a replacement information display screen from CarParts.com for fast delivery to your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/carparts.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\"CarParts.com\">CarParts.com<\/a> offers fast, secure online shopping for information display screens and other automotive parts and accessories. We ensure the reliability of our products by exclusively sourcing them from brands trusted by drivers across the US. Find the part you need by entering your vehicle&rsquo;s details &ndash;year, make, model, and engine&ndash; in our website&rsquo;s vehicle selector. Once you place your order, one of our strategic distribution centers will ship your new information display screen to your doorstep. If you live in the continental US and order before noon ET, your new part can arrive as early as two business days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For competitively priced and reliable information display screens, look no further than CarParts.com. Check out our selection and get the most bang for your buck when you order an<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/information-display-screen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"information display screen\">information display screen<\/a> today.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 6<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Did you know that touchscreen technology has been around since the mid-60s? It started when Eric Arthur Johnson invented the&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-automakers-bring-back-buttons-over-touchscreens\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":120011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[53,3950,3768],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":{"0":"post-120007","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-features","8":"category-for-the-car-owner","9":"category-lifestyle","10":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Should Automakers Bring Back Buttons Over Touchscreens? - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Touchscreens have long replaced buttons in many modern vehicles, but can buttons make a comeback? Learn their pros, cons, trends, and more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-automakers-bring-back-buttons-over-touchscreens\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should Automakers Bring Back Buttons Over Touchscreens? - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Touchscreens have long replaced buttons in many modern vehicles, but can buttons make a comeback? Learn their pros, cons, trends, and more.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-automakers-bring-back-buttons-over-touchscreens\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-10-16T05:01:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-23T16:23:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/car-with-physical-buttons.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1254\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/should-automakers-bring-back-buttons-over-touchscreens\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/should-automakers-bring-back-buttons-over-touchscreens\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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