The era of Hyundai's touchscreen is over, as sometimes buttons are more effective.

Hyundai, which in the past contributed to the proliferation of touchscreens in vehicles, has begun to shift its approach by integrating more buttons and knobs into its cars. This decision is not unexpected: many users have expressed their dissatisfaction with touchscreens, especially for fundamental controls like heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Ha Hak-soo, Hyundai's vice president of design in North America, commented in an interview that focus group studies revealed that people feel "stressed, annoyed, and frustrated" when they cannot quickly control essential functions. Although the company initially embraced the trend of touchscreens, these findings have led to a reevaluation.

A clear example of this shift is the Hyundai Ioniq 6, an electric vehicle that, while incorporating large touchscreens, also includes physical buttons and knobs for many common functions, although the use of touch buttons for climate control persists. Despite this turn toward buttons, Kevin Kang, head of Hyundai’s interior design, noted that autonomous vehicles could reintroduce buttonless controls, suggesting an uncertain future in interface design.

However, not everyone shares this vision of a return to buttons. Last month, Wassym Bensaid from Rivian suggested that the future is leaning towards voice control. This could address some safety concerns related to touchscreens, which could receive lower safety ratings in Europe starting in 2026. Nonetheless, many wonder if it will really be less irritating trying to communicate with a control system while facing the noise of children, construction, bumpy roads, or rain. The preference for buttons remains strong among many drivers.