Model / Podium. new #ID5 pic.twitter.com/TINTCH1ZAK

— Volkswagen France (@vw_france) August 2, 2022

Today, screens are everywhere, and they now have a whole host of more advanced features than each other. We have to admit that between touch screens that integrate infotainment systems, digital phones, projection displays, etc., we sometimes border on overdose. Especially since manufacturers are now offering ever-larger screens and always integrating more functionality. Up to the elimination of almost all physical buttons, as in Tesla or volkswagen example. While this may appeal to some, most drivers are opposed to such excessive digitization, which is considered impractical. And you know what? Well, they are absolutely right.

Let’s start this new week small #quiz !

What do these two cars have in common? And no, it’s not their color.😉 #BMWGroup #EC2022 #BMWi4

PS: the answer may be in our feed, who knows… pic.twitter.com/krVZ3qDQ7G

— BMW Group France (@BMWGroupFrance) August 22, 2022

A big test

This is not us saying this, but a recent study by Swedish journalists from Vi Bilägare. They decided to compare the effectiveness of a completely digital interface with real physical buttons. To do this, they have combined some of the latest models on the market, such as the Volvo XC40, Dacia Sandero, MG Marvel R, Volkswagen ID.3 or even Hyundai Ioniq 5. The driver was then responsible for activating certain functions such as heated seats or defrosting the windshield, but he also had to dim the phone’s brightness and raise the temperature, among other things. The goal? Spend as little time as possible. For this, the journalists took the 2005 Volvo V70 without screens as a basis for comparison.

Not all are equal

And the least we can say is that all cars are not in the same boat. And in general, those with actual physical buttons do a much better job compared to, say, the MG Marvel R. All operations required 1,372 meters behind the wheel (44.9 seconds), compared to just 306 meters in the Volvo V70, or a total of 10 seconds. For comparison, it took 25.7 seconds versus 23.5 seconds for the Tesla Model 3 and 30.4 seconds for the BMW X1. Screens are nice, but nothing beats the good old buttons!

[FOCUS] Steering wheel #MG4 it’s a dynamic and modern style, a comfortable handle and an additional heating function for optimal driving ✨
Pre-book your MG4 ➡️ https://t.co/wGb4XbJQBf#MG #MGMotor #electric car #fly pic.twitter.com/5pVKzaXhzi

— MGMotorFrance (@MGMotorFrance) August 21, 2022