No more touch frustration: VW boss wants real buttons in cars again

Volkswagen apparently wants to return to more traditional solutions when it comes to the controls in its cars. As TopGear reports following a conversation with brand boss Thomas Schäfer at a VW event in Hamburg, Germany, real buttons and proper door handles are set to play a larger role again in future models. Schäfer said: “Proper door handles and buttons are a must for me.”

This is VW’s response to the heavy criticism aimed at the highly touch-focused interiors of recent years, for example in ID. models and the Golf 8. Touch sliders may look modern, but many users find them unintuitive in everyday use. The same applies to the flush-integrated, electrically released door handles on some ID. models. According to Schäfer, VW wants to focus more strongly again on real people and their actual day-to-day use, instead of designing control concepts primarily around design trends.

According to TopGear, early signs of this strategy can already be seen at Cupra, the Spanish performance brand that also belongs to the VW Group. Examples include the all-electric Cupra Born and Tavascan, both of which already show elements of this more conventional approach. TopGear also points to the interior of the new VW ID. Polo, where large displays are set to remain but will once again be combined with physical buttons. Mentioned features include real steering-wheel buttons, heating controls, a volume knob and four separate power-window switches. The bottom line: less touch for touch’s sake, more intuitive, tactile controls.

The change in direction has also been received largely positively by the community. In a Reddit thread on the topic, users express frustration with VW’s previous strategy. Many Redditors say they want to see a balanced mix of screens, touch controls and real buttons, and welcome the planned shift.