Buttons are back: Why car makers are ditching touchscreens for knobs

For years, the electric vehicle industry followed Tesla’s lead, swapping traditional dashboard dials for sleek, smartphone-style glass panels.

It was an aesthetic choice that saved manufacturers a fortune in production costs, but the digital honeymoon is over.

As EVs move into the mainstream, drivers are revolting against the "fiddly" nature of touchscreens.

"Honestly, it's a car. It's not a phone: it's a car," experts argue, highlighting a growing fatigue with over-complicated interfaces.

The shift isn't just about preference; it is a matter of life and death. Safety regulators are now stepping in, with European authorities set to deny five-star safety ratings to vehicles that lack physical controls for critical functions like indicators and wipers.

Spencer Penn, a former Tesla engineer, explains that the core issue is distraction: "Touchscreens require visual attention and lack haptic feedback." Physical buttons allow a driver to adjust the temperature or volume by feel, keeping their eyes firmly on the road.

Volkswagen has been refreshingly blunt about the U-turn. "We will never, ever make this mistake anymore," stated design head Andreas Mindt regarding the previous obsession with screens.

Audi’s upcoming 2027 e-tron will proudly feature the return of the classic scroll wheel. Even Ferrari’s first electric offering, designed with Apple legend Jony Ive, will lean heavily into tactile switches.

While digital displays will remain for navigation, the era of the "all-screen" cockpit is fading. Manufacturers have realised that misaligning with the customer’s voice is far more expensive than installing a few simple switches.