The end of the touchscreen era in cars? EU and China demand more physical buttons

China is going even more direct, according to draft new security standards that would take effect in 2027, which require physical controls for a number of important functions. These proposals also mention the minimum size of buttons or switches for key commands, with the emphasis that basic things should not be hidden by menus on the central screen. It is part of a wider “cleaning” of modern cabins, where the regulators have more before, some ‘hidden’ things like solutions for doorknobs or other elements that could complicate rescue in a collision or emergency situations also bothered.

For the manufacturer, this is both a design and financial turnaround. One large screen is cheaper and easier to assemble than a dozen separate buttons, knobs and switches, which is why many have gone in the direction of minimalism. But negative reactions last longer. for some time, some drivers have complained that the screens are slow, illogical or too sensitive, and some brands are more started to bring back physical controls at least for climate, volume and basic shortcuts.

The point of these moves is not that you will soon get a cabin from 2005 again, with a button for everything. A more realistic scenario is a hybrid: the big screen remains for maps, multimedia and settings, but the key things you use “on the fly” must be tactile and immediately accessible. If this works as intended, the next generation of cars might look less ‘wow’ at first, but be more comfortable to live with every day, especially when you’re driving, turning, raining and don’t want to type in menus.