Screens may dominate the modern car dashboard, but buttons still have a role when drivers need quick, familiar controls. (Envato Elements pic)PETALING JAYA: Once upon a time, turning up the air-conditioning or adjusting the radio meant reaching for a knob or pressing a button. Today, in many newer cars, the same task might involve tapping a touchscreen, opening a menu and finding the right icon - all while keeping an eye on the road.
The sleek, minimalist dashboard has become a hallmark of modern vehicle design, particularly as ever-larger screens have replaced rows of switches and dials. But recent findings suggest drivers may not be quite ready to give up the humble button.
Research published in July examined 669,493 real-world journeys across 79 countries and found that drivers interacted with physical buttons more frequently than touchscreens.
