On April 3, 2026, Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW’s design chief, publicly voiced his support for Ferrari’s decision to retain physical buttons in its first all-electric model, the Luce. He stated that this move confirmed his long-standing design philosophy of “prioritizing tactile feedback and minimizing reliance on touch-only controls.”

The Ferrari Luce, a five-year collaborative effort between former Apple design chief Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson, stands out for its extensive use of physical buttons, knobs, and levers. This design choice deliberately contrasts with the “large-screen-centric” approach prevalent in most mainstream electric vehicles.

Van Hooydonk argues that physical controls offer a more intuitive user experience, allowing drivers to operate key functions without taking their eyes off the road—ultimately enhancing driving safety. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna further revealed that while touch-based interfaces might reduce production costs, customer feedback overwhelmingly favored physical buttons.

In response, Ferrari has introduced retrofit services, enabling owners of existing models to replace steering wheel touch controls with traditional physical buttons. This shift reflects a broader industry trend: Several automakers, including Volkswagen, Audi, and Hyundai, are also reintroducing physical controls in an effort to strike a balance between cutting-edge technology and practical usability.