Of all the automakers that have removed physical buttons from their interiors, Mercedes-Benz is among the worst offenders. Most of the German automaker’s cabins are riddled with touch-capacitive buttons and sliders that are tough to figure out and, at best, bothersome to use regularly.
Mercedes is finally starting to figure out the error of its ways, though. The new GLC EV, introduced at IAA earlier this month, sports normal, physical buttons on the steering wheel for things like volume and cruise control. And there’s even a roller knob for the volume on the center console.
The company’s software boss, Magnus Östberg, admitted to Autocar that yes, people actually care about having usable controls in their cars. Shocker!
Speaking to Autocar at the Munich motor show, he explained: “You can see a difference if you move from the CLA [saloon], which has a touchscreen and fewer hard buttons, to the [new] GLC, where we put back the rollers and buttons, because we see in the data that the rollers and these physical buttons are very important for certain age groups and certain populations.
“So having that balance between physical buttons and the touch is extremely important for us. We’re completely data-driven, seeing that what is actually something that is used high-frequency, the data shows us the physical buttons are better, and that’s why we put them back in.”
But where exactly does that data come from? Mercedes cited customer feedback for buttons returning in the GLC, but Östberg mentions another, far more sinister source: The cars themselves. From Autocar:
That data has come from software-defined vehicles: the CLA is Mercedes’ first SDV and the incoming GLC the second.
As well as being easier to tweak (as software can be updated over the air rather than needing to drag buyers into garages), SDVs also give car makers full access to drivers’ data and usage. “This is so important,” said Östberg, as it means decisions, such as bringing back some physical controls, can be data-driven.
Due to that data, he hinted that other wheel designs could be used depending on the market. For example, while Europeans like buttons, Asian drivers prefer more touchscreen and voice controls.
Many new cars stay connected to the mothership, sending your driving data to the manufacturer, which, in turn, sells that data to insurance companies to raise your rates. It’s not a new phenomenon, but that doesn’t make it any less unsettling.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes obviously uses that data for itself, too, to inform how it’ll develop its future products. That makes sense, but it also means not all of the company’s lineup will return to physical controls.
Östberg said Mercedes is also looking at adding more physical controls elsewhere in the cabin for future models – but this will most likely be kept to SUVs, as “in larger cars we have more freedom to package” and buyers of those cars “care more about buttons”.
The result is, as Östberg mentioned earlier, a new CLA with fewer real buttons than its bigger GLC sibling. While that’s disappointing for people who prefer real buttons (me and everyone I’ve ever talked to about this issue), I understand why Mercedes did it. The company’s biggest market isn’t America or Europe. It’s China.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
Buyers in Asia care more about having the latest tech than having physical controls, so Mercedes is simply prioritizing that crowd. That’s evident not only when it comes to buttons, but the sheer size of the touchscreens in its cars—the GLC is available with a 39.1-inch “Hyperscreen,” one of the largest in the industry right now. Naturally, the company is also leaning into artificial intelligence, specifically for stuff like voice controls.
This is an important feature for buyers in China – the world’s largest car market, in which Mercedes is trying to build back a presence. But Östberg said that European buyers will also use it, and the data suggests that voice command usage in the CLA has “tripled” among Mercedes drivers. “It’s phenomenal,” he said.
Again, this is tech that no one in my personal circle is passionate about. But Mercedes says the data is there, and it trusts that data enough to invest millions. All I really want is a volume knob. And it seems like I’d have to spend a bunch on a big SUV to get one, at least at Mercedes.
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Top photo: Mercedes-Benz
Does anyone else think that the red mercedes’s side view in the header image above looks almost exactly like a jaguar f-pace? maybe it’s just me?
Mercedes has really lost it’s way with these interiors and the ugly new “grill”.
Unless this kind of personal data vacuuming is by explicit opt-in, with an acceptance page that amounts to substantial friction (is not easily overlooked and dismissed), this is creepy as f***. I don’t care whether it is allegedly anonymized, which was not even mentioned.
Very much this. I’m not generally one to call for more regulation of things, but there seriously needs to be some sort of regulation regarding this level of privacy violation.
It should have an opt-in screen with a yellow and black striped border, and a 15 second loop of the opening lines of “Every Breath You Take” playing in the background.
Which is funny, because the stupid European manufacturers keep trying to remove buttons, while the article a while back about cheap Chinese EVs had buttons in most of them.
Different target markets. The people with the money to buy expensive cars want to show off as much tech as possible.
Data driven actionable insights creating business, shareholder and consumer value by leveraging the potential of a decades old technology… Buttons!
Don’t forget the virtuous web3 loop empowering on- and off-chain growth.
Here I am assuming Mercedes didn’t have a single touchscreen in her fleet!
Going to take a full product range combined from these guys to get close to the button count of a single RTS.
what’s the latest car you can buy that doesn’t send data back? 2010s? earlier? not having a volume control would suck but the data thing seems worse
You can make any car stop sending data if you have a wiring diagram and a pair of scissors. Maybe I’ll create a car spaying/neutering non-profit where I snip antennas for a small donation to the Fly-Insurance-Executives-Into-The-Sun fund.
My 2013 Acura has no internet and no telemetry.
If they used data to drive the decision to put some buttons back, did they also use data to stop using them?
I’m going to take a wild guess that their data is just customers yelling at them after they did something irritating for no good reason.
Well, I suppose there is a good reason. The Asian markets are the bigger customers and they’re catering to those who actually buy stuff. I’m not sure how I feel about the idea that the old guard (American/European) buyers representing the majority and could impact the products is now dead. We now will be consuming products that are made for a culture that is quite a bit different from what any non-Asian person is used to. Being forced to sit in the proverbial back seat is not super appealing.
I’m curious how they get information about button usage when there are no buttons.
Probably also Mercedes: “But what if the buttons were actually touchscreens?”
How exactly does Mercedes get data about people wanting buttons in their cars from cars with little to no buttons? Is it from owners yelling “Why are there no damn buttons in this car!” and the microphones constantly recording?
I don’t think so—I yell stuff like that all the time when I’m in Mercedes press cars, yet they’re still keeping touch-capactive buttons in some of its lineup
They definitely change the data acquisition settings to “dismiss all opinions” on press cars.
Instances of clicking on something like volume 32 times in a row perhaps?
Or something was tapped then immediately cancelled?
I would assume they’re looking at how often someone presses a touchscreen control and then leaves it, vs. how often someone presses a touchscreen control, then presses whatever is next to the “back” button, then presses “back” twice, then presses something and leaves it alone.
Volume knob for me isn’t used much as I use the steering wheel buttons but my god bring back HVAC knobs and buttons in all vehicles that stuff being behind touch screens is a pita. Also be actual buttons not capacitive touch.
I have never liked steering wheel buttons for anything other than cruise.
For me it keeps me focused on the road better also I am a gamer and grew up s console gamer before migrating to PC so normally use controller first so having buttons at my fingers tips comes natural to me haha.
Not so much for us olds. At least us Gen-Xers who could not care less about video games (admittedly, not a majority given how my housemates spend all their slacker free time).
Weird I know a decent amount of gen-x who play video games even my dad will occasionally play video games (he is older gen x born in 65) he still has his atari 2600 somewhere. He had an NES that we played a ton growing up be he got rid of that either during his last marriage or during the divorce.
Like I said – my two slacker housemates do. But the overwhelming majority of my friends (and NONE of my female friends) my age play don’t video games to any appreciable extent (some a bit with their kids). But the two slackers, if they are home and awake they are killing things online. Which is probably why they are mid-50-somethings who are still renting rooms from somebody and not living out in the world on their own. Paid off my mortgage though (in the early years I needed housemates to afford the house period), and I traveled so much for work it was convenient to always have somebody in the house. I waste time here instead, I guess. 🙂
The only “game” I have played to any extent is MS Flight Simulator – and I was really serious about it being involved with virtual airlines and such.
Haha those two sound like my brother who is going to be 35 soon still living with my dad and all he does on his free time is game. He has a full time job but yeah besides work all he does is game. Which I can be guilty of at times but I still try to find time for other hobbies be it vehicles, collecting firearms, building legos and so on. Plus I have my other half who wouldn’t be to happy if all I did game and not spend time with her haha (though we do play games with each other).
Whut?!
GenX was the pioneer generation raised with videogames. There are millions upon millions of gaming GenXers.
Many of us have grown out of it.
I hate them for that too. The correct way to actuate cruise control is with it’s own column stalk, as BMW and Mercedes (and surprisingly Toyota) did for decades. So simple you don’t even have to look at the thing. Up, down, in, out. BMW adds a resume button. That’s it. No fuss. Toyota’s setup was a little fussier, but still better than buttons all over the place.
Though I like Mercedes’ layout of how it works slightly better than BMW’s. Pull for resume vs. a button on the end of the stalk for resume.
I can tolerate steering wheel buttons for the stereo if there are only a few of them. BMW scores well there in my e9x and e8x. The Mercedes is not as good, too many controls, and too many that change what they do depending on what mode the “infotainment” is in. For example, unless you have the stereo as the instrument panel display, there is no track forward and back from the steering wheel, only volume control. And I would just as soon use the great big knob in the center console for that anyway.
Thankfully, NONE of my cars have touchscreens. Mercedes Comand knob control isn’t as good as iDrive, but it’s pretty close. And neither of my current BMWs have iDrive.
I love the (unfortunately off and on usage) GM and Chrysler setup of volume/track buttons on the back of the steering wheel with cruise and other functions on the front. My new daily hybrid has toggle switches on the steering for volume, track, and cruise, which isn’t as convenient as having them on the back as I still have to look down or feel around to make sure I’m on the right toggle. It’s better than looking down at the dash, but it feels like more distraction than necessary when the best setup of those buttons on the back of the wheel has already been in use for decades.
Funny thing you mention that I wish more cars would go the route of volume and track buttons on the back of the steering wheel much easier to press then front facing ones. My work truck which is an International CV (glorified medium duty Chevy) has the buttons on the back and I enjoy them much better then my Polestar’s or FJ’s front facing buttons.
As a listener of classical music, a volume knob is critical for when ‘subito forte’ takes place and you have to dial it back in a big hurry. Pressing and holding the ‘volume down’ button doesn’t have nearly enough urgency.
Hah yeah true I hate when something is super quiet be it a movie, game or music you turn up the volume and then next thing you know your ears are getting blown out because it went to a louder part.
For a more modern example of this, different sources of audio on my phone will have wildly different base volume levels. I often have to run podcasts at 3x the volume of some of my music in order to hear what’s being said. And, of course, when it auto-switches back to my music player the next time I start the car I get blasted by the too-loud volume. A volume knob makes this quick and easy to fix, touchscreen buttons would make me want to punch the dash.