“The data show that the physical buttons are better somewhere,” the German automaker admits despite its digital interiors of recent innovations. For example, it is about controlling the volume or cruise control on the steering wheel.
“You will see the difference by moving from the new CLA, which has fewer fixed buttons, to the new GLC, where we returned rotary elements and buttons, because we see from the data that these physical buttons are very important for certain age groups and some of the population,” Östberg explained in an interview for Autocar at Munich.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
The CLA sedan has a completely touch steering wheel, known from the last Mercedes.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Variant Kombi or Shooting Brake is already correcting the same duty model, the steering wheel has a physical buttons at the top.
This data is related to the new architecture of cars with a three -pointed star in the character. In addition to updating the software wirelessly, manufacturers also provide access to data and preferences.
“This is very important because it means that decisions such as restoring some physical controls can be controlled by data,” Östberg said.
Preference varies across markets. While Europeans like buttons, Asian drivers prefer touch screens and voice control.
Mercedes has just equipped the new generation of the GLC SUV with the largest screen ever and perhaps even the largest ever in any mass -produced car: a one -piece display called MBUX Hyperscreen, which with a diagonal of 99 cm occupies the entire dashboard. We are talking about the center console and the steering wheel, where after a long pause, the physical buttons returned both in the new electric GLC and in the CLA Shooting Brake.
