this post was submitted on 30 May 2025
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Electric Vehicles

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Volkswagen China CEO: European Buyers Want Physical Controls (www.motor1.com)
submitted 1 month ago by Hotznplotzn@lemmy.sdf.org to c/electricvehicles@slrpnk.net
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[...]

Ralf Brandstätter [VW's CEO in China] explained that customers in Europe tend to favor "tactile controls, long-term durability, and driving dynamics." It’s a different story in China, where buyers prioritize “AI-first, connected vehicles, with seamless voice control and smart cockpits.”

[...]

He pointed out that the average age of an electric car buyer in Europe is 56, whereas in China it’s under 35. [He] addresses the question of why cars developed by the VW Group in China aren’t sold in Europe. It all comes down to differing regulations, costs, and customer preferences.

[...]

In similar reports he was cited saying, “Honestly, it’s a car. It’s not a phone.”

The German automaker’s sentiments have been echoed by others, including Hyundai, whose executives have said on several occasions that it would revert to physical controls for vital vehicle functions. Now, we just have to wait to see if any of this actually happens.

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[–] dinckelman@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago

I will not buy any car that doesn’t have a proper range of clicky buttons for climate and radio controls. Plain and simple.

While driving, I don’t have time to scroll though a tablet like a clueless toddler, trying to figure out which submenu of a submenu they put the ventilated seat under