Why Carmakers Need to Bring Back Buttons

Asian companies lead a reversal from touchscreen-dominated dashboards

- June Yoon

You are driving down the highway when, without warning, traffic comes to a sudden stop as you enter a tunnel. You reach for your hazard lights, but they are not where you expect. Instead of a button, they are buried in a menu on your car's touchscreen. You tap the screen, but it freezes. Now what?

Since the mid-2010s, many carmakers have embraced a buttonless future, inspired by smartphones and Tesla's minimalist designs. Even safety functions such as hazard lights, windscreen wipers and defrosters have moved to digital-only touchscreens.

But the dream of a sleek, futuristic cockpit is increasingly colliding with human limits, especially when split-second decisions are critical.

So why did companies pursue this direction in the first place? Beyond the appeal of minimalist design, the shift was largely financial. Eliminating buttons reduces parts and manufacturing complexity. It supports over-the-air software updates, which allow carmakers to introduce subscription-based features such as navigation, voice commands and even heated seats without dealer visits. This model mirrors the smartphone industry: sell the hardware, then monetise through software.

But now, a reversal is under way. Carmakers are bringing back the very buttons they once declared obsolete.