April 30, 2026 – In recent times, a significant number of car owners have voiced their dissatisfaction with the all – touch operation inside vehicles. They complain that it is inconvenient, prone to accidental touches, and difficult to operate blindly. Moreover, adjusting functions like air – conditioning and volume while driving poses serious safety risks.
In response to this market feedback, Mathias Geisen, the sales head of Mercedes – Benz, has made a clear statement. He emphasized that large screens remain a crucial way for Mercedes – Benz to showcase its digital craftsmanship. However, the brand has fully taken into account customer demands. In the future, key functions of its models will retain physical controls.
Previously, automakers such as Volkswagen and Audi, facing user discontent with the touch – operation experience, have reduced the size of in – car screens and brought back a large number of physical buttons.
Mercedes – Benz, on the other hand, has opted for a differentiated approach. On its main models like the GLC and C – class, it continues to use the Hyperscreen that spans the dashboard, highlighting the brand’s luxury positioning and digital prowess.
Geisen pointed out that large screens are the core medium for Mercedes – Benz to integrate digital technology with luxurious interiors. Similar to mobile phones, the core experience lies within the screen. Users can create a personalized cabin atmosphere through custom wallpapers and interfaces.
Nevertheless, he also admitted that over – reliance on touch operations does affect the user experience. The touch pads on the steering wheel previously received a large number of complaints due to their unclear feedback and poor operation. The brand has replaced them with physical scroll wheels to enhance operational accuracy and mechanical feel.
Geisen further revealed that Mercedes – Benz will adopt a “large screen + physical buttons” integrated approach in the future. The large screen will be responsible for information display and personalized functions, while commonly used key functions will be realized through physical buttons.
