It’s no secret that technology has been taking off in new cars, trucks, and SUVs. While vehicles are smarter than ever before, not everyone is impressed. Frustrated drivers really just want one older infotainment feature to return. 

Frustrated drivers want tactile controls back 

People are getting tired of touchscreen controls in cars. They want physical buttons or tactile controls to make a comeback. 

I’m fine with a blend of touchscreen and physical controls. But some SUVs like the Volkswagen Atlas are currently overdoing things by even making the sunroof controls touch sensitive. 

According to Spectrum the desire for physical controls stems from their simplicity. Touchscreens can be distracting because you often have to take your eyes off the road to look at them. With tactile controls, you can feel your way around. Plus, they offer more tactility and feedback. 

Also, drivers just want to be able to relax and focus on the road. We have screens in our face all day long. At work, on our phones, at home, screens are everywhere demanding our time. 

Some people are fine with integrating voice controls into their modern cars. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus automotive software provide microphones for voice commands. 

But some people don’t want to ask Siri or Alexa to do something for them. Plus, who wants to argue with the software when it misunderstands you? 

Making touchscreen interfaces a little more intuitive can help. However, many programs still have too many menus and options to flip through. 

Having vehicle settings hidden in the touchscreen interface is confusing. For example, in the Volvo XC40, you have to flip through menus to reset the trip odometer. 

It takes time to find the actual settings. However, older cars have a physical button that instantly allows you to reset the trip mileage. 

However, modern tech that frustrated drivers enjoy includes wireless phone charging pads, larger reverse cameras, 360-degree camera displays, blind spot warning, and power lift gates.