Right. The fundamental problem here is that the old school buttons and dials have a hidden logic to them: namely that you can distinguish and grasp them without

Right. The fundamental problem here is that the old school buttons and dials have a hidden logic to them: namely that you can distinguish and grasp them without taking your eyes from the road. This seems like a general UI consideration for physical objects. If the object is being aimed at something or demands the use of vision, the affordances should be designed for sight-free operation. Examples: a gun's trigger, a camera's button, a car's gear shift, a microscope's stage adjustment.