Today’s tech-heavy cars are more advanced than they’ve ever been, and while some aspects of that shift are inarguably good, certain features have fallen out of favor with the public. One of the most prominent and problematic auto trends is the infotainment screen.
It’s easy to see why touch screens and large displays initially caught on. They’re sleek, enabling you to interact with your car in much the same way you’d interact with your smartphone. In practice, though, the tech is flawed, and drivers are pushing back.
Infotainment screens have been around for years. Once Tesla gained traction with its iPad-like controls in the mid-2010s, the technology took over. Today, roughly 97% of new vehicles have a touch screen, and nearly a quarter have one that’s 11 inches or larger.
Automakers have been eagerly adding new functions to these screens. Some infotainment systems let you access iMessage and even Netflix from the driver’s seat, while others use them to keep all your car’s controls in one place, often behind layers of menus.
Tech companies have promoted plans to take these displays even further, though what exactly that will look like and when it could happen is unclear. Apple has delayed its CarPlay upgrade without giving a new release date, despite revealing the system in 2022. Google has become the go-to software provider in the meantime, but the trend toward touch screens and digitalization may be slowing down.
As much as carmakers seem to love infotainment screens, consumers are less enthusiastic about them. Just 15% of drivers in 2024 said they would want a full-width infotainment display. Windshield base displays with less functionality are slightly more popular but still appeal to just 18% of those planning on buying a new car.
The growing pushback against vehicle touch screens is ultimately a matter of safety and convenience. While having all your controls in one place sounds useful, navigating between menus to find the right settings can be frustrating, slow, and unsafe if done while driving. It also means basic car functions may be at the mercy of software glitches and lag.
In 2021, Tesla had to recall vehicles because an issue with the flash memory in Tesla infotainment systems made the rearview camera unviewable and took defrost and turn signal functions offline. More recently, a class-action lawsuit against Stellantis alleges that defective infotainment screens led to backup camera failures and distracting audio glitches.
Those same shortcomings, alongside the obvious distracting features of an iPad in your center console, pose safety concerns, too. Navigating between menus takes focus off the road, especially when adjusting a setting takes more steps than it used to. Given that 6,000 pedestrians a year already die in traffic accidents, anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road isn’t ideal.
Some car brands have started responding to these concerns by toning down the “screenification” of their vehicles. Volkswagen announced it will bring back physical buttons after backlash against its more screen-heavy models. VW CEO Thomas Schäfer said the reliance on touch screens “did a lot of damage” to the brand’s reputation among frustrated drivers.
When VW pivoted to a touch screen-centric interface, Capital One’s Auto Navigator called the controls “aggravating,” as did many other reviewers. Yahoo Autos called it the worst infotainment system they had ever come across. In light of these responses, it’s easy to see why VW would want to move back to physical buttons.
Given this growing push against infotainment touch screens, automakers will likely respond. However, how they choose to balance demands for safety and convenience with new tech is less certain.
Some companies think the solution is to keep digital displays but change how they operate. BMW unveiled a new heads-up display (HUD) at CES 2025 that puts more information along the bottom of the windshield instead of keeping it on the dash. As BMW board member Frank Weber explained, this system means “the driver decides themselves which information they want to display in their own field of vision.” Infotainment-style customization remains present, but it stays within the line of sight while looking at the road.
BMW’s new HUD also lets drivers control these settings through physical buttons on the steering wheel, not just a touch screen. That way, hands can remain on the wheel and eyes can remain forward. Hyundai and Kia have followed a similar approach, giving users a choice between touch or analog controls.
Voice commands have emerged as another alternative. Mercedes introduced ChatGPT-backed voice controls in 2023, and Apple gave CarPlay voice functionality with iOS 18. These don’t make screens go away, but they do offer a way to use them that doesn’t require taking your hands off the wheel or eyes off the road.
As the industry explores these voice-activated solutions, it’s clear that the evolution of infotainment systems is far from over. Growing attention on common issues should kick-start some much-needed changes.
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