This page is for personal, non-commercial use. You may order presentation ready copies to distribute to your colleagues, customers, or clients, by visiting https://www.parsintl.com/publication/autoblog/
Control button lovers, rest easy: Hyundai has promised to keep physical “hard” buttons in cars, at least for the near future. Push Switch Button
While touchscreen controls have emerged as the trendy way to adjust settings in most modern vehicles, Sang Yup Lee, Hyundai's head of design, insists that the decision to “save the switch” is also a safety issue.
“We have used the physical buttons quite significantly the last few years,” he said at the recent showing of the new Kona. “For me, the safety-related buttons have to be a hard key.”
If and when autonomous driving becomes the norm, Lee said he was somewhat circumspect about in the button prospects, he told CarsGuide. “We will continue to have [physical dials],” he said. “When it comes to Level 4 autonomous driving, then we’ll have everything soft key, but until then, as I said, when it comes to driving, it’s safest to have your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.”
The form-versus-function issue is not new. Touchscreens often require users to scroll through menus, actions that can require drivers to shift attention from the road to the screen, creating a distraction. Other factors emerge as well: Buttons have familiarity, especially for older drivers who grew up with them. And going forward, eliminating buttons likely will be a cost issue for car makers as screens dominate cockpit-interior fashion.
There’s also the fun and sensory satisfaction of flipping a switch. Alas, the switch flip may become a victim of high tech in years to come.
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander First Drive Review: 'Grander' in size, power and price
One-off 1981 Chevrolet Camaro is a Hot Wheels Legends Tour finalist
2015 Chevrolet Colorado rock crawler is a Hot Wheels Legends Tour finalist
2024 Ford Mustang RTR Spec 2 is a thorough visual transformation
Entry-level Kia EV6 Light returns for 2023 but with a catch
Rivian R2 due in 2026 teased during Instagram Q&A
News, Reviews, Photos, Videos delivered straight to your in-box.
Thanks for subscribing. Check your in-box to get started.
Please enter a display name
110v Led Indicator Light Please sign in to leave a comment.