Volkswagen will restore physical buttons to the dashboard in its latest compact car, part of a wider move away from touchscreens.

In a particularly retro touch, the new ID Polo will even have a volume dial.

For a decade or so, automakers rushed to replace knobs and switches with screens, Autoblog noted in October, but users largely disliked them: Controlling the air conditioning, for example, required delving through submenus while driving, which was both difficult and dangerous. Research found that using touchscreens took longer and distracted drivers.

Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and VW have all announced plans to return to more tactile controls, and US and EU regulators announced last year that cars with touchscreen controls could get worse safety ratings.

  • stoy@lemmy.zip
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    6 days ago

    Any car manufacturer who removes the instrument panel from right infront of the driver and placing the instruments in the infotainment system deserves to fail.

    • Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works
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      5 days ago

      I don’t disagree with that portion, but the actual software is good. Don’t get me wrong theres a LOT of shitty design decisions with Teslas, but again a lot of manufacturers seriously struggle with infotainment systems not being complete shit.