“As we were adding integrated [infotainment] screens in our vehicles, we also tried out putting touchscreen-based controls, and people didn’t prefer that,” HDNA Vice President Ha Hak-soo told Korea JoonAng Daily.
Hyundai did some tests with focus groups. They found out that people get upset when they can't control things quickly in their cars. Ha Hak-soo said:
"When we tested with our focus group, we realized that people get stressed, annoyed and steamed when they want to control something in a pinch but are unable to do so"
Touchscreens have some good points. They make car interiors look clean and tidy. They also give more options for controlling car functions. When the car isn't moving, touchscreens feel natural to use.
But touchscreens have problems too. They're hard to use while driving. It takes longer to find digital switches. Drivers have to look away from the road for longer. Simple changes take more time and effort compared to physical buttons.
The recently redesigned Hyundai Ioniq 5 already benefits from this thinking with a mix of physical buttons and touchscreens. Still, Hyundai's North American design crew suggested to Korea JoonAng Daily that we may see a shift in customer attitudes toward touchscreens as cars get more advanced driver assistance technology that allows them to relax more.
Source: Korea JoonAng Daily
