Fixing What Wasn’t Broken: Patents, Touchscreens, and the Button Fightback by Geraint James

Fixing What Wasn’t Broken: Patents, Touchscreens, and the Button Fightback. Written by Geraint James Senior IP Manager PatWorld Ltd, United Kingdom. In The Global IP Matrix Issue 22, Geraint James, Senior IP Manager at Patworld, takes us on a fascinating exploration of how patent trends are revealing an unexpected shift in automotive design: a growing return to physical buttons over touchscreens. With a unique blend of IP analysis, design insight, and automotive passion, Geraint uncovers how car interiors are entering a new chapter in the touchscreen vs. button debate.

The Evolution from Buttons to Screens

For decades, tactile switchgear — from Audi’s perfectly engineered button depth to Saab’s aviation-inspired cockpits — defined brand identity and driver experience. But the rise of touchscreens replaced many of these elements with sleek, glassy panels in the name of modernity. Initially seen as progress, this digital takeover quickly raised usability, safety, and design concerns.

When Design Meets Functionality

While touchscreens offer flexibility, they often complicate simple tasks. Functions once controlled by single buttons now require layers of menus, diverting drivers’ attention from the road. Geraint highlights how design experts like Don Norman have long championed intuitive, tactile interfaces that follow natural mapping — something touchscreens often fail to deliver.

The Regulatory Shift Back to Buttons

With safety at stake, regulators are now stepping in. From 2026, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) will require certain core functions — like hazard lights and wipers — to have physical controls for vehicles to achieve top safety ratings. The tide is clearly turning in favour of more tangible, user-friendly interfaces.

Patent Trends Reveal a Reversal

Geraint’s patent landscape analysis shows this shift clearly:

• Touchscreen patent filings (G06F3/0488*) surged from 2006, peaking around 2016, before beginning a steady decline.

• Leading OEMs like Volkswagen, Hyundai, Toyota, Audi, and PSA dominated touchscreen filings, but their filing activity has slowed in recent years.

• Meanwhile, mechanical switchgear patents (H01H3/*) — which had declined for years — have started climbing again since 2015, signaling renewed interest in physical controls.

  
  

The Button Fightback in Action

Some automakers are already blending both worlds. The new Skoda Superb features hybrid rotary dials with touch-sensitive surfaces, while hypercars like Bugatti Tourbillon showcase exquisite mechanical gauge clusters reminiscent of Swiss watch craftsmanship. Even digital dashboards continue to mimic analogue dials — proving the enduring appeal of physical interaction.

Patents as Industry Barometers

Patent filings don’t just reflect trends — they often forecast where industries are headed. As touchscreen innovation plateaus and regulatory bodies demand tactile controls, the industry is re-embracing the functionality and safety of buttons. The data tells a clear story: not everything needed fixing.

How PatWorld Supports This Evolving Landscape

Platforms like PatWorld play a critical role in helping OEMs and innovators navigate these shifts. By offering advanced patent analytics, white-space identification, and competitor tracking, PatWorld empowers companies to make informed IP decisions as they reimagine tomorrow’s vehicle interiors.

Conclusion With Geraint James’ analysis, we gain a powerful reminder: innovation doesn’t always mean abandoning the past. As patents reveal, the tactile feedback, simplicity, and safety of physical buttons remain essential — even in an increasingly digital world. Read the full article in The Global IP Matrix Issue 22 to explore how patents are reshaping the debate between touchscreens and buttons in modern automotive design.

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