Volkswagen to Bring Back Physical Buttons to All Vehicles

Volkswagen is bringing back physical buttons to all its vehicles after pivoting to touchscreens in recent years. Andreas Mindt, design chief at the German auto giant, called the decision to remove physical buttons “a mistake” in an interview with Autocar.

“From the ID 2all onwards, we will have physical buttons for the five most important functions – the volume, the heating on each side of the car, the fans and the hazard light – below the screen,” he explained.

He added: “It’s not a phone: it’s a car.”

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that touchscreens are set to disappear from new Volkswagens, just that drivers will now have the option of physical controls for their most used day-to-day tasks. The new controls are set to make their debut in the ID.2all, a small, budget EV (which is unfortunately unlikely to be available for US consumers anytime soon.)

The news comes as backlash has been building among many automakers about the move to fully digital controls. Last year, Hyundai promised to keep physical controls for its important functions, like volume adjustments and air-con, with its head of design highlighting the safety benefits of having an easy-to-use physical button.

Evidence has emerged of the potential speed and safety benefits of having access to real buttons instead of smartphone-like touchscreens. In 2022, a study by Swedish car magazine Vi Bilägare found that drivers were better able to perform simple tasks like tuning the radio to a specific channel or raising the car temperature using old-school buttons.

Tesla is also pivoting back to real-world controls, at least partially. It reintroduced its turn signal stalk on the steering column in the recently refreshed Model Y, InsideEVs notes.

European regulators are also cheering on the transition back to physical buttons. As of Jan. 1, 2026, new cars sold in the EU will need physical buttons or switches for their horn, windshield wipers, turn signals, hazard warning lights, and SOS features if they want to get the highest safety rating.

About Will McCurdy

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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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