Zander Drives Cars

I’d like to start this article out with a clarifier: I have no problem with buttons. I like the way they feel, I can appreciate them leading to interesting interior design, and I’ll even go as far as saying that, yes, I do think buttons for HVAC controls should be left alone.

That being said, the blind idea that buttons are better than a screen is ridiculous. Yes, some might be, but all? No, absolutely not. Let’s debunk some arguments.

“You have to look down at a screen to see it, with buttons, you just know!” – Redditor

Right, so when you get in a car with buttons for the first time, you don’t look down while driving to figure out what does what? You’re telling me that every car you’ve ever been in, regardless of year or manufacturer, you know what every button does without having to look down? Right. As someone who owns a car with a lot of buttons (2018 Volvo S60), I still do have to look down to see what I’m doing sometimes, especially when you have a lot of small buttons compacted right near each other. I know this isn’t the case of everybody, but when you have an entire number pad on your dashboard, it can get a bit tricky to find your way around.

I’m sure after owning a car for 5+ years, you know your layout by muscle memory, and that’s fine, but if you have owned a car with a screen for the same amount of time, what’s the difference between knowing where the rear window defroster is on a button panel, and knowing where on the screen to press for navigation?

“But I can’t tell if I actually pressed the screen icon, tactile feel! Tactile feel!” – TikTok Keyboard Warrior

Do you own a phone with a physical keyboard? No, you don’t. If you cared about the tactile feel or how a button clicks that much, you would have a Blackberry. Look, I get that you’re looking at your phone right now, and you’re not supposed to look at the screen while you’re driving, but again this all goes back to the whole “distraction” thing. Take the 1.2 seconds to glance and see if what you pressed actually came up on the screen. It is, and I cannot stress this enough, no different than glancing over to press a button on a dashboard. And if your command didn’t go through? Do what the rest of the world does and fiddle with it at a stoplight.

“There’s TOO MUCH on screens nowadays. I’ll get too distracted!” – Facebook Boomer

Then don’t use the stuff that will distract you. I’ll be the first to admit that there is a bunch of useless nonsense squished into most UI systems. But here’s how I get around that: I don’t use it. Seriously, you have the option of never looking at any of the “distracting” add-ons for the rest of your life. Are you upset that Mercedes added TikTok, a feature you can only use while in park or through the passenger display, into their cars? Okay, don’t use it. Miffed that Polestar has Zoom? Don’t click on the icon. It is that easy. Most UI have a main page that shows what you actually want to see, and that’s where you’ll keep it for 99% of the time. How simple is that? It’s almost as simple as having your main buttons right in front of you for you to memorize and recognize.

“But the Mk8 GTI!” – Instagrammer With 6 Followers and An F1 Profile Picture

You and I both know that using the GTI user interface as an example to validate your point is stupid because 1. it isn’t as awful as everyone who’s never driven it claims, and 2. that system is not an accurate representation of modern-day user interfaces. There are definitely some stinkers, I will be the first to admit. Along with that, I too am not 100% on board with HVAC controls being put into screens either. But, there well-executed examples of modern systems that can hold their weight against buttons and knobs, and so on. Take a look at BMW’s iDrive, for example. Yeah, the 8th generation is a bit of a step down from 7, but it is still a great system to use. Or, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Dodge/Chrysler’s UConnect system on some of their newer cars is great too. Very simple, not a lot going on.

Look. I get it. Technology isn’t always going to be the patron saint we asked for. But when all you do is complain and complain about something going away and refusing to attempt to embrace modernity, what are you really doing to yourself? You’re just going to make yourself miserable. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t dislike certain stuff, but taking one thing you hate and using it as a reason to despise all new cars and write off everything that isn’t the way you want it is infantile. Repeat this argument to manual elitists and people who hate electric cars. You don’t have to love it, but when it’s around you, just try to embrace it.