Hyundai Motor North America said it will reintroduce more physical dashboard controls across future models, emphasizing manual knobs and buttons for a body-on-frame midsize pickup planned by 2030.
Olabisi Boyle, senior vice president for product planning and mobility strategy at Hyundai Motor North America, told The Drive at the 2026 New York Auto Show that repeated functions such as volume and climate control "are going to stay manual knobs." Boyle said smartphone interfaces and other tech will remain available but not at the expense of physical controls.
Hyundai’s Boulder concept shown at the New York Auto Show reflects that shift with smaller screens paired with dedicated controls, though Boyle acknowledged it’s unclear if that exact layout is production-feasible.
The company also added buttons to the Santa Cruz before its cancellation, and Boyle said redesigned versions of the Elantra and Tucson, likely for 2027, will give a clearer picture of Hyundai’s new control approach.
This article is based on reporting from The Drive.
Read the full article at The Drive.
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