Modern cars have undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, with traditional buttons and knobs increasingly replaced by touchscreens and digital interfaces. For drivers accustomed to conventional controls, stepping into a more modern vehicle can feel not just unfamiliar, but downright wrong. Woman Questions Mini Cooper Design In a video with more than 315,000 views, content creator @cherubg1rl expresses her frustration after receiving a Mini Cooper as a loaner vehicle. The creator's main complaint was that the familiar controls she expected to find were nowhere in sight. "I just wanna say, I don't know what's happening to cars," she says. Her confusion focuses on several aspects of the vehicle's design. "Where's the PRNDL? Where are the A/C controls? Why—where are the buttons? Why does everything have to be a [expletive] screen?" she asks. OWNERSHIP STORIES Viral stories from across the web Our team of experts tracks what owners are saying about car-shopping, repairs, the daily driving experience and more on social media. The term "PRNDL" refers to the gear selector display showing Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, and Low, a feature that has been standard in automatic transmission vehicles for decades. Perhaps most puzzling to her was an unexpected design element, a rope on the steering wheel. She concluded her critique by questioning the automotive industry's design direction: "Who's done this? Why? Why have you done this?" Gallery: 2025 Mini Cooper S Review The Shift Away From Physical Controls in Modern Cars The automotive industry has increasingly used touchscreens to replace buttons and knobs. Customer demand initially drove this trend, as drivers wanted smartphone technology in their cars, but automakers also recognized cost-saving opportunities—one large touchscreen can manage multiple functions, which creates cost savings compared to manufacturing dozens of individual controls. However, the over-reliance on touchscreens has sparked backlash from customers and safety advocates alike. A 2017 AAA study found that drivers spent an average of 40 seconds on-screen when performing basic functions, meaning a vehicle traveling just 25 miles per hour would cover nearly five football fields while the driver's eyes were off the road, Motor1 previously reported. In response, the European New Car Assessment Program announced that starting January 2026, vehicles seeking five-star safety ratings must have physical controls for critical functions like turn signals, windshield wipers, and the horn. Major automakers, including Volkswagen, Hyundai, and Mercedes-Benz, have begun reversing course and reintroducing physical buttons based on customer feedback. The Mini Cooper Is Changing Mini Cooper has embraced the minimalist trend more aggressively than many brands. The brand eliminated manual transmissions across its lineup, replacing them with dual-clutch transmissions that feature paddle shifters. However, these paddles have drawn criticism for feeling "light, vague, and plasticky" rather than providing the mechanical, satisfying click that performance brands like Porsche and Ferrari deliver, according to MotoringFile. The transmission software can also be inconsistent, with noticeable lags in certain scenarios that disconnect drivers from the experience they expect from a brand built on driver engagement. Commenters React "Why is there a portal," a top comment joked, referring to the large circular screen. "It’s so funny that PRNDL has stuck with our generation so hard," a person said, referencing the fact that many people pronounce "PRNDL" as one word due to a popular "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" scene. "Using screens instead of physical buttons/knobs is more dangerous, as it takes your eyes off the road for every little thing. With physical options, you don't even need to look because muscle memory takes over. Cars are getting worse, not better," another pointed out. Motor1 reached out to @cherubg1rl for comment via TikTok direct message and comment. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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