Car and truck dashboards used to be filled with buttons, switches and knobs — controls someone could operate without looking at them.
But touch screens have all but totally taken over the vehicle market. Critics say they are dangerous and annoying. Industry insiders don’t think they are going anywhere.
According to industry forecaster S&P Global Mobility, in 2022, 78.6% of all vehicles will be equipped with a center stack display. That is a term for a screen in the center of the dashboard. Nearly all of those — 93.5% — will be touch screens.
Newer automakers such as Tesla and Rivian have been especially enthusiastic about touch screens. Most of the controls a driver would adjust in a Tesla Model 3 are done through a touch screen.
A lot of cars are still holding on to at least some dedicated buttons and switches. Suppliers are also trying to improve touch-screen technology. For example, suppliers such as Continental are making screens with raised or textured sections that can act as guides for fingers and mimic the functions of buttons and switches.
Watch the video to learn more.