Mercedes CEO Källenius says touchscreen trend went too far and will bring back physical buttons

Mercedes-Benz Ola Källenius touchscreen controls physical buttons MBUX Hyperscreen

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius says the industry may have pushed digital controls in cars beyond a useful point. While the company will keep large touchscreens – the MBUX Hyperscreen can reach up to 1,410 mm across – it plans to reintroduce sensible physical buttons, especially on the steering wheel, to improve usability.

Källenius stressed that the user interface must be simple enough for a five‑year‑old child or a Mercedes board member to operate. He noted ongoing work on better voice‑control systems and pointed out that rivals such as Volkswagen are also returning to physical controls after similar criticism.

The shift reflects growing customer concern that excessive reliance on touchscreens can distract drivers and make essential functions harder to access while driving.

Entities

MBUX Hyperscreen · Mercedes-Benz · Ola Källenius · Volkswagen

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 3 SOURCES] Mercedes is working to improve its voice‑control systems. www.autocar.co.uk · www.motorbox.com · www.smartdroid.de
[● 3 SOURCES] Mercedes‑Benz CEO Ola Källenius said the automotive industry may have gone too far with digital touchscreen controls. www.autocar.co.uk · www.motorbox.com · www.smartdroid.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The MBUX Hyperscreen can be up to 1,410 mm wide, making it the largest display in any production car. www.autocar.co.uk · www.motorbox.com · www.smartdroid.de
[● 3 SOURCES] Mercedes will reintroduce physical buttons on steering wheels and other controls. www.autocar.co.uk · www.motorbox.com · www.smartdroid.de
[● 3 SOURCES] Other automakers such as Volkswagen are also reintroducing physical controls after criticism of excessive touchscreens. www.autocar.co.uk · www.motorbox.com · www.smartdroid.de
[● 3 SOURCES] Källenius said the user interface must be simple enough for a five‑year‑old child or a Mercedes board member to use. www.autocar.co.uk · www.motorbox.com · www.smartdroid.de