Mercedes-Benz CEO Doubles Down on Screens While Calling Off the Button War
Mercedes-Benz has no intention of ending its screen-size race any time soon, even as it starts bringing back the physical buttons it once stripped away. Speaking to British media, CEO Ola Källenius said he doesn’t believe the automotive industry has reached “peak screen,” while conceding that the brand had already pushed the removal of buttons too far.
The comments land as the German manufacturer continues to roll out its Hyperscreen and Superscreen displays—vast glass panels that stretch across the dashboard in electric models like the new C-Class EV, EQS, and CLA-Class. Those units already consume every inch of available dashboard real estate, prompting speculation that future screens could migrate to door cards, centre consoles, or even roof liners.
Källenius’s remarks signal a deliberate recalibration rather than a full retreat. The widely panned capacitive-touch steering-wheel controls that defined Mercedes cabins a few years ago are being replaced—at least in part—by physical switches. The message is one of balance: more digital real estate for the user experience, but a restoration of tactile feedback for core driving functions.
What’s Behind Mercedes’ Dual Approach to Digital and Tactile Controls
From ‘Button Purge’ to Pragmatism
Mercedes is walking a careful line between two competing pressures. On one side, the luxury segment increasingly equates cutting-edge technology with large, high-resolution displays; a car without a dominant screen can feel dated next to rivals from China and the US. On the other, owners and reviewers have criticised the near-total reliance on touch for tasks like adjusting volume or cruise control, prompting a course correction.
Källenius’s claim that the brand is “at low buttons” acknowledges that customers feel safer and more satisfied when they can operate essential controls by feel. This is less about nostalgia than about functional design—something that even screen-heavy rivals are beginning to concede.
Where the Next Screens Could Land
The fact that the Hyperscreen already fills the dashboard raises the obvious question of where additional displays could go. Door cards, passenger-side screens integrated into the cabin trim, or even overhead panels for rear-seat entertainment are all plausible next steps. Mercedes has already experimented with augmented-reality head-up displays, which blur the line between screen and windscreen, so the real estate for visual digital content may not be limited to traditional surfaces.
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