Jun 21, 2026 – 5.00amThe pullback from touchpad controls continues, with Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes-Benz among those makers reintroducing more physical buttons to their cockpits and in some cases reducing the size of touchscreens.There are two reasons: customers of upmarket cars have generally rejected touchpad and “haptic slider” controls as fiddly, and with even the cheapest car now packed with large touchscreens, they no longer designate luxury.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Tony DavisMotoring writerTony Davis writes on lifestyle specialising in cars.Fetching latest articles
Why luxury car brands are shunning touchscreens for old-school buttons
Following customer backlash, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari and other marques are going back to basics with mechanical controls.
TL;DRAI
Volkswagen, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz reintroduce physical buttons after premium customers rejected fiddly touchpad controls. Touchscreen commoditization eroded premium positioning—signaling that UX design matters more than technological novelty for luxury differentiation.
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