Remember those good old-fashioned knobs and buttons? It seems Hyundai might be realising that putting every control on a touchscreen isn’t the best solution. While the automotive industry, including Hyundai, has embraced touchscreens for their sleek and modern look, there’s a growing sense that these screens might not be all they’re hyped up to be.
Concerns about touchscreens in cars aren’t new. A 2023 study by JD Power found that the touchscreen is a leading cause of driver frustration, stemmed from confusing and problematic tech equipment in the cabin.
It seems those concerns are now being acknowledged by carmakers themselves. Hyundai Design North America (HDNA), the team behind Hyundai vehicles for the North American market like the Hyundai Santa Cruz, is now voicing those concerns, acknowledging the drawbacks of touchscreen controls.
According to a report by Korea JoongAng Daily, HDNA Vice President Ha Hak-soo admitted that putting every single control into a touchscreen is not well received by consumers.
“As we were adding integrated [infotainment] screens in our vehicles, we also tried out putting touchscreen-based controls, and people didn’t prefer that,” said Hak-soo.
The issue, as Hak-soo pointed out, is that touchscreens can make simple functions unnecessarily complicated. Imagine trying to adjust the temperature while driving – instead of a quick twist of a knob, you’re now tapping and swiping through menus, taking your eyes off the road, a dangerous distraction that could lead to accidents.
To be fair, it’s not like we loathe touchscreen controls in a car, but everything still needs to be done in moderation. A mix of physical controls for essential functions and touchscreens for more complex tasks might just be the sweet spot.
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This preference for physical controls is evident in the Hyundai Tucson facelift. Its redesigned interior features a prominent centre console with numerous buttons for essential functions like climate control and audio volume.
Could this realisation from Hyundai signal a shift in the automotive industry and see more carmakers bringing back trusty physical controls? For those among us who find touchscreens frustrating, this news is certainly a welcome turn of events.
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