According to Hyundai's chief designer, he also agrees with you that their cars will keep the buttons on because the screens can be riskier.

In general, modern cars tend to reduce the number of physical buttons in the cabin, in favor of a more streamlined design with a strong presence of screens. However, there are brands, like Hyundai, that are resisting this trend. Although Hyundai is not alone in doing so.

The Korean firm seems determined to keep traditional controls as much as possible, as evidenced by the latest version of its model, the new Hyundai Kona, according to its chief designer, Sang Yup Lee. The reason is simple: entrusting all functions to the screen is not a safe solution.

"A key is easy to detect and feel"

Interior of the new Hyundai Kona

Lee defended himself by saying that their use of hard buttons has been quite widespread in recent years. According to him, the safest buttons are the physical hard buttons , not the haptic controls which are a new trend. For him, when driving, the haptic controls are difficult to manage, but when the buttons are hard, they are easy to spot and feel.

These statements were made during an interview with Australian outlet Carguide . In addition, the Hyundai Group , which includes Hyundai and Kia , will continue to use traditional controls as much as possible, although it recognizes that the arrival of autonomous driving will lead to a reduction in their use.

Lee said that for Level 4 autonomous driving (the one that no longer requires driver input), they will have a programmable key for everything. However, until then, safety is about keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel while driving.

Despite a trend toward a diaphanous interior, the Hyundai Ioniq retains buttons and dials for the most common functions

New models from Hyundai , such as the Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 , are not stingy with buttons. Contrary to the current trend which favors touch screens, these cars are equipped with physical controls, in the form of buttons or wheels. For example, the Hyundai Kona has a double panoramic panel combining multimedia display and instrumentation, as well as several panels of buttons and knobs for climate control and shortcuts.

The forward-looking Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6 models also retained physical controls, although in fewer numbers than the Kona . Even the Hyundai Ioniq 6 has moved some of its buttons from their usual location, but they are still there.

This approach not only addresses an aesthetic trend, it also addresses security concerns. Touchscreens can be difficult to use while driving, which is confirmed by recent studies. For example, the Swedish car magazine Vi Bilägare tested 11 cars by analyzing the time it took to perform simple tasks at their controls while driving at 110 km/h, such as adjusting the air conditioning or changing the radio station. The results showed that physical buttons are more secure than screens.

Interior of the BMW iX

The winning car, without a screen, was a 2005 Volvo V70 which managed to complete the tasks in just 10 seconds, covering 306 meters, which is faster than any current model. By contrast, the BMW iX , which largely avoids physical buttons, took 30.4 seconds to complete the same tasks, traveling 928 meters.

Many modern cars already only allow air conditioning to be controlled via a touchscreen, often requiring multiple clicks to navigate menus and distracting the driver from the road for longer and longer, increasing the risk of accidents.

Hyundai isn't the only manufacturer to prefer physical buttons. Other brands such as Mazda and DS have also expressed a preference for analog controls due to their aesthetics and safety as they reduce driving distraction.

The Mercedes-Benz Hyperscreen turns the entire dashboard directly into a screen. Few buttons, and almost all haptic.

Bugatti , meanwhile, also bucks the screen trend, but for aesthetic reasons. Indeed, modern screens would not harmonize with the vintage look of their vintage cars.

As far as driving is concerned, the physical controls remain very popular because they allow them to be used without taking their eyes off the road, or by minimizing this distraction. Although manufacturers are promoting the benefits of intelligent assistants for managing car systems, it is undeniable that pressing a button is still easier.