Large screens, head-up displays, voice and gesture control – cars have becoming increasingly digital. But has that led to easier and safer driving? Some specialists say having too many digital features onboard can lead to distraction and an increased risk of accidents.
“With more functions in the vehicle, the number of controls and thus the complexity increases,” says Professor Dieter Nazareth, head of the Automotive Informatics program at the University of Landshut in Germany.
It’s often no longer possible to get into an unfamiliar car and drive off immediately. The location of the gear-shift lever or turn signals can vary between brands and even between models from the same brand.
Many people are still used to changing driving modes in automatic or electric cars using a relatively traditional stalk on a steering column. In the new Tesla Model 3, however, this is done using a touchscreen or buttons in the console.
“Drivers need to know this, as well as that the turn signals are activated via buttons on the steering wheel,” says Nazareth. This can make signalling on a roundabout virtually impossible.
Refocusing on intuitive controls
The Euro NCAP safety consortium says it will change its evaluation criteria starting in 2026 with the aim of encouraging manufacturers to use separate, physical controls for basic functions in an intuitive way.
Under this directive, important controls such as turn signals, the horn, the wind-shield wipers and hazard lights should be worked by physical controls wherever possible.
Without that, manufacturers won’t be able to achieve the maximum five stars for their cars. However, the Euro NCAP tests are not required by law but merely serve as a guide for consumers.
Generally, the quality of operation decreases if haptic buttons are not used, according to Nazareth. “With a touchscreen, users cannot haptically approach the desired control element with their finger, but can only try to hit it directly from the air. Blind operation is therefore impossible.”
Given the risk of you being distracted from your driving, some manufacturers are moving back to the manual controls of the past. BMW, for example, is using a mix of switches, buttons, and a wide projection on the windscreen for its “New Class” vehicle architecture.
Instead of a large, digital cockpit behind the steering wheel, BMW uses a narrow display bar at the bottom of the windshield for its Panoramic Vision view. Important driving information is displayed in front of the driver, and additional information can be displayed as widgets in the projection.
Drivers no longer have to look at a centre display — instead, most information is within their field of vision. Vehicle warnings can alert the driver, either prominently or discreetly, depending on the urgency.
“In the event of a flat tyre, we warn the driver in the Panoramic Vision field of view, and in the centre display if the windshield washer fluid level is low. This wouldn’t be possible with analogue instruments,” says Jörn Freyer, Head of UX/UI Development at BMW.
The first model of this new vehicle generation, the iX3, is scheduled to launch at the end of the year.
Additional functions can be selected using the centre display, the multifunction steering wheel, voice control, or traditional controls. “They still offer advantages,” Freyer says of the latter.
Controls for seats, headlights, audio volume, and heating are easier to operate manually as physical buttons, for example in winter if you’re wearing gloves.
Some physical controls are here to stay
Of course no car can completely do without haptic controls, such as the accelerator, brake, steering wheel, and, in a manual transmission, the clutch.
“Pedals provide haptic and clear feedback at the foot and respond faster than voice control. Time-critical commands cannot be given by voice,” says Nazareth.
Nevertheless, there’s a lot of potential in voice control using artificial intelligence. “Today’s voice control only works with specific keywords and the right commands. In the future, functions will be controlled using natural language,” he says.
A lot will also happen with virtual reality, augmented reality, and displays in the coming years. “Future, flexible displays will offer more display options, as will mini-projectors,” says Nazareth.
However, a regression toward more haptic elements is also possible, he says. “Touchscreens and other displays weren’t introduced because they were better, but because they were cheaper than many switches and levers.”
That trend back to physical controls can already be seen. Volkswagen responded to customer criticism of the digital controls in the Golf, Tiguan and Passat, and now, haptic buttons on the steering wheel of the Golf 8 have replaced the small touchscreen panels of its predecessor.
And with Bugatti’s new Tourbillon, the French manufacturer relies almost entirely on analogue displays. That hasn’t put off buyers: the €4.5-million ($4.9 million) hyper sports car has long since sold out.