Screens have resulted in much simpler yet more premium interior designs that tend to do away with many physical buttons and switches. The impact on the user experience and ergonomics has been variable – to say the least – but a secondary trend impact of this development is the horizontal button island. Buttons used to be everywhere in the car interior, but now the few buttons left are becoming a design feature. Clearly demarcated in an ‘island’ zone, these typically high-quality buttons remain to control key, safety-critical functions such as screen demist and the hazard warning lights.
For more information review: http://cardesignresearch.com/en/insights/2014/05/trend-button-islands
