Image Credit: Shutterstock, Nick Beer.The recent JD Power Initial Quality Study revealed many positives for the car market this year. Still, the study highlighted one area of concern, with new owners reporting 44.4 infotainment and connectivity problems per 100 vehicles.Customers experienced the issues during the first 90 days of vehicle ownership, suggesting that infotainment systems may remain a significant source of frustration for new owners.In fact, the infotainment category performed worse than last year, meaning automakers need to take note or risk diminishing the overall ownership experience.AdvertisementAdvertisementSeveral manufacturers ditched buttons for touch panels to operate functions such as fan speed. However, some manufacturers, such as Volkswagen, are reverting to using buttons on their vehicles because physical buttons let drivers adjust the volume without taking their eyes off the road.Smartphone Connectivity is a Major IssueImage Credit: CC7 / ShutterstockRegardless of the car manufacturer, you might have heard at least someone in your circle say they're having trouble connecting their smartphones to their vehicle's infotainment system, or their phone fails to sync data and voice even after connecting.According to a report by CarBuzz, issues related to the infotainment system accounted for 44.4 problems per 100 vehicles in 2026, compared to 42.6 reported problems in 2025.Out of those, 1.4 problems per 100 vehicles were related to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the largest single contributor to the infotainment category's decline.Distracted Driving Remains a Big ConcernThis is a common scenario. No matter what needs to be selected on the screen, a driver will take their eyes off the road to look at it. Among respondents who self-reported distracted driving incidents in the JD Power survey, 46% of the complaints were related to the infotainment system.AdvertisementAdvertisementOne could argue that road transport safety authorities should step in to reduce incidents of distracted driving. But with technological enhancements, safety has likely taken a step back, as manufacturers continue fitting vehicles with increasingly larger dashboard screens.Volkswagen Goes Back to Buttons After Admitting MistakePhoto Courtesy: Autorepublika.Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer said in March that the brand is returning to simpler, more user-friendly controls after admitting that replacing physical buttons with touch sliders in the 2019 Mk8 Golf was a mistake.Top Gear interviewed Schäfer at a VW event in Hamburg, who said the brand has now adopted a different design approach with a people-first philosophy. He admitted that with touchscreens, VW vehicles were losing the character they were known for. He said:"It was clear we were losing our core. VW has always been about cars that became part of people's lives: reliable, easy to understand. Yes, geopolitics, supply chains and competition [had an effect], but we also had to change our own mindset."AdvertisementAdvertisementConsidering customer preferences, VW has shifted its priority. He added:"In the 'old' days we made a long list of requirements and features, but people didn't feel comfortable using [the end product]. Now we think about people. Who is the car for? Who is driving it?"Schäfer firmly believes that VWs should have door handles and buttons. He said:"A VW should have a friendly face. A door handle must be intuitive – easy to use when you arrive at the car with hands full of shopping. And we will bring back real buttons and real names, for cars you can understand immediately."He added:"There was a spirit of iPhone-ish kind of design and utilisation that you could see coming through in many companies. It was a little bit difficult to get the designers off that idea.AdvertisementAdvertisement"I said, 'listen, there's two things that are absolutely non-negotiable for me: door handles and buttons'. I don't understand why anybody would have [touch-sensitive] sliders."
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