Mercedes-Benz has acknowledged that it went too far in removing physical buttons from its vehicles, announcing a shift back toward more tactile controls while keeping its large displays in place.
The automaker said it heard public sentiment and realized it may have overdone the removal of buttons, according to CEO Ola Källenius. He remarked that the industry as a whole might have gone a little too far with digital controls, including voice commands.
So from now on, you will see us reintroduce the most sensible buttons.
— Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz
Källenius said the company sometimes gets ahead of itself and does 'technology for the sake of technology,' forgetting a little bit about the customer. He added that changes made solely for the sake of technology have strained users, prompting a strategic change that prioritizes user experience.
I don't know if we're at peak screen, but we're at low button.
Future Mercedes-Benz models will bring back more physical controls for key functions, a design philosophy already applied in the new GLA model. The automaker has also started to reintroduce physical buttons on steering wheels.
The decision comes after serious criticism from car enthusiasts over the large screens in the automaker's new-generation vehicles. The difficulty of using touch panels while driving influenced the move, according to reports. Mercedes-Benz maintains that customers still love giant displays, and screens are not going anywhere.
The design updates aim to give drivers faster and safer access to in-car functions. The strategic change reflects a growing backlash against touchscreens across the automotive world, where digitalization has led many automakers to replace physical controls with touchscreens in recent years.
The Drive's author, who tested the new electric Mercedes-Benz CLA a few months ago, noted the shift. A similar design philosophy is expected to be adopted in future models, according to the automaker.
Updates
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna noted that touch buttons became prevalent due to being approximately 50 percent cheaper to produce and announced that the company will also reintroduce more physical controls. Additionally, Hyundai and Volkswagen are reportedly following the same trend of returning to physical controls as Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari. A Swedish distraction test further highlighted these complexities, revealing that the Mercedes-Benz CLA performed poorly, while the touchscreen-focused Volvo XC60 led the test.
Following Mercedes-Benz's shift, Ferrari has also announced plans to reintroduce more physical controls, a move toward which Hyundai and Volkswagen are also moving. This industry trend follows a Swedish distraction test where the screen-focused Volvo XC60 topped the rankings, while the Mercedes-Benz CLA performed poorly, and the button-heavy Mazda CX-60 took longer to complete tasks than the Tesla Model Y.
Mercedes-Benz sales and marketing manager Mathias Geisen confirmed that while large digital panels will remain a strategic element for personalization, drivers are specifically demanding physical controls for certain key functions. Additionally, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna noted that the shift to touch buttons was largely driven by a 50 percent reduction in production costs, though Ferrari also plans to reintroduce more physical controls. The industry trend toward reintroducing physical buttons is being echoed by Hyundai and Volkswagen, as well as BMW, which has also been identified as a company replacing physical controls with screens.
Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Manager Mathias Geisen confirmed that the shift away from minimalist, touchscreen-oriented designs follows intense customer feedback regarding the difficulty of navigating digital menus for simple adjustments. While the company plans to keep large digital panels as a strategic element due to their customization potential, it aims to strike a balance by reintroducing physical buttons for frequently used control mechanisms. Additionally, Ferrari, Hyundai, and Volkswagen are reportedly moving in a similar direction by reintroducing more physical controls.
Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Manager Mathias Geisen confirmed that the company is reversing its minimalist, touchscreen-oriented approach due to intense customer feedback, noting that while large digital panels will remain a strategic element for personalization, drivers specifically demand physical buttons for frequently used functions. This shift aims to balance digital infrastructure with tactile controls to address complaints regarding complex menus for simple adjustments.
Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Manager Mathias Geisen confirmed that the company is reversing its minimalist touchscreen approach following intense customer feedback regarding complex digital menus. While giant digital panels will remain a strategic element for personalization, the automaker aims to reintroduce physical buttons for frequently used controls to strike a balance. Additionally, CEO Ola Källenius noted that significant resources are being dedicated to developing these new interfaces.
Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Manager Mathias Geisen confirmed that the company is pivoting from its minimalist touchscreen approach following intense customer feedback regarding complex digital menus. While giant digital panels will remain a strategic element for personalization, the automaker aims to strike a balance by reintroducing physical buttons for frequently used functions. Additionally, Ferrari, Hyundai, and Volkswagen are reportedly following a similar trend of reintroducing more physical controls.
Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Manager Mathias Geisen confirmed that the decision to pivot from a minimalist touchscreen approach follows intense customer feedback regarding complex digital menus. While the company plans to retain large digital panels for their customization benefits, they aim to integrate physical buttons for frequently used functions to strike a better balance. Additionally, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna noted that touch buttons became prevalent due to 50 percent lower production costs, and competitors like Hyundai, Volkswagen, and BMW are also facing similar trends regarding physical control reintroduction.
Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Manager Mathias Geisen confirmed the shift follows intense customer feedback, noting that while giant digital panels will remain a strategic element for personalization, drivers specifically demand physical controls for frequent functions. This new design approach, which aims to balance digital infrastructure with tactile buttons, is being implemented starting with the new GLA model. Additionally, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna noted that touch buttons became common due to 50 percent lower production costs, though his company also plans to reintroduce physical controls alongside Hyundai and Volkswagen.
Mercedes-Benz Sales and Marketing Manager Mathias Geisen confirmed the company is reversing its minimalist touchscreen approach due to intense customer feedback, noting that while large digital panels will remain a strategic element, users specifically demand physical controls for certain key functions. This new design strategy is being implemented with the new GLA model to strike a balance between high-tech interfaces and usability. Additionally, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna noted that touch buttons became common due to being 50 percent cheaper to produce, and Hyundai and Volkswagen are reportedly following a similar trend toward reintroducing physical controls.
Mercedes-Benz is implementing this new design approach with its new GLA model. Additionally, Sales and Marketing Manager Mathias Geisen confirmed that the company decided to step back from its minimalist approach after receiving intense customer feedback, while CEO Ola Källenius noted that huge amounts of time are spent developing these interfaces to ensure they are simple enough for anyone to operate.
