Touch screens are about the worst imaginable driver interface systems. I'm astounded that they're as popular as they are, but I guess cargo-culting of successfu

Touch screens are about the worst imaginable driver interface systems. I'm astounded that they're as popular as they are, but I guess cargo-culting of successful interface metaphors is nothing new. First, the parts of a car that the driver should be looking at with their central vision are relatively far from where their hands should be. Because touch screens are nearly impossible to use without looking at them, they positively require the driver to be staring at something other than the road. Finally, unless you've got glass-smooth pavement or exceptionally compliant suspension, steadying your hand in front of the display in a moving vehicle is nearly impossible. That's why for years (well-designed) cars have had a combination of knobs and relatively stiff switches rather than myriad little indistinguishable buttons. Especially considering how trivial it is to implement force feedback on a knob, I'm surprised that no car maker or aftermarket vendor is making use of it.