Volkswagen Reintroduces Physical Buttons After Acknowledging Issues with Touchscreens | Carscoops

      The much-anticipated return of physical buttons will begin with the production of the ID.2all in 2026.

      7 hours ago

      by Thanos Pappas

      Volkswagen’s head of design has announced that future models will incorporate physical buttons for essential functions. Andreas Mindt stated that they will avoid repeating past errors with touch-sensitive controls.

      An additional row of buttons will feature in the VW ID.2all and ID.Every1 concepts.

      Volkswagen has finally come to the realization that cramming every feature into a touchscreen interface is problematic for drivers. The company's design chief, Andreas Mindt, has disclosed that upcoming VW models, starting with the ID.2, will reintroduce physical controls for key functions. Although this may seem like a logical conclusion, it’s better late than never.

      More: The Return of Physical Controls as Drivers Grow Weary of Endless Touchscreen Menus

      In late 2022, VW made the controversial and largely unfavorable choice to eliminate traditional physical buttons in favor of touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel, leading to a wave of dissatisfaction. Following the introduction of the ID.2all concept in 2023, VW acknowledged its error and committed to reverting the design away from touch-centric interfaces. Mindt is now detailing the company's corrective measures.

      The Comeback of Buttons

      Mindt informed Autocar that the next generation of VW models will include physical buttons for five critical functions: volume, seat heating, fan controls, and hazard lights, positioned directly below the infotainment screen. Drivers will no longer have to endlessly navigate menus to activate the heat. He emphasized that this change will be implemented in "every car that we produce from now on. We understood this."

      In a refreshingly honest admission, VW's design boss recognized that the approach taken by his predecessor was flawed: “We will never, ever make this mistake again. The steering wheel will feature physical buttons. No more guessing. There’s feedback that is tangible, and people appreciate that. Honestly, this is a car, not a phone."

      The VW ID.Every1 Concept

      The first vehicle to adopt this much-needed update, featuring an extra row of physical buttons below the infotainment display, will be the ID.2all electric supermini, set to debut in 2026. The production model of the ID.Every1 concept, anticipated in 2027, will follow a similar design. Bid farewell to those inconvenient touch-sensitive sliders controlling everything from volume to AC temperature. If you've ever attempted to adjust the heat on a touchscreen while driving, you understand why this change is necessary.

      More: Hyundai Returning to Physical Buttons Because American Consumers Dislike Touchscreens

      This signifies that VW will finally eliminate the haptic sliders currently used for media volume, navigation zoom, and A/C temperature control, which are present in various VW Group models, including the updated Golf.

      Despite the focus on physical buttons, Mindt made it clear that the touchscreen will remain an integral part of the design. “There are numerous functions that need to be accessible in certain areas, so the screen will be large and will contain a wealth of HMI information,” he explained. “However, the five primary functions will always be available on the first physical layer. That’s crucial.”