Mercedes-Benz to reintroduce physical buttons alongside large screens after customer backlash
By
Matt Adams12:4903 May 2026
A baker's-dozen of insight crammed into one ring.
Summary
Mercedes-Benz is reversing its previous design direction by committing to bring back physical buttons for key functions in future models, acknowledging that touch-sensitive controls and menu-buried functions were mistakes. Unlike Audi and Volkswagen, which are reducing screen sizes to accommodate physical controls, Mercedes will retain its large MBUX 'Hyperscreen' while adding physical buttons alongside it. This follows a broader industry trend of automakers listening to customer feedback about the safety and usability drawbacks of fully touch-based interfaces.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledMercedes-Benz joins the growing list of manufacturers listening to customers and admitting that touch-sensitive controls and burying controls in menus were mistakes.
The German brand remains committed to offering large screens in its models, but has listened to its customers and will offer physical buttons for key functions in future.
This is partly unlike Audi and Volkswagen, which have chosen to reduce the size of their infotainment screens to make room for the returning physical controls.
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