I agree with you, I think Porsche’s approach is terrible. I just like to ask about the Model 3 because usually when I hear touch screens won’t beat buttons, it’s from someone who hasn’t test driven a Model 3.

And I say this because I thought exactly the same thing before I experienced it. Similar to how I thought I’d never enjoy a full touchscreen phone and that it’d never beat physical keys until alas I actually tried the iPhone. Tesla’s UX is really really good. And almost everyone has a change of heart when it’s actually in front of them.

I recommend you at least give it a go if you’re interested.

I also thought that about phone touchscreens. And although the extra screen real estate is useful for reading, I do miss the physical keys of the Blackberry. I could type so much more accurately (and therefore more quickly) on them.

Haven't tried a Tesla but I have tried the recent Porsche controls and I preferred the old ones to be honest. My experience with car controls is that the nearer the steering wheel (preferably on the wheel) the better and the more tactile the better.

I never tried a Model 3, but I test-drove a Model S, and I was pleasantly surprised by the touch screen and controls. They are - by far - the best in the auto industry.

But they're still not as good as physical buttons, because they are impossible to control without looking at them.

Having a great touch screen does not rule out also having great buttons.

I don't know how long your test drive was but you may have missed that there are plenty of physical controls in the S, including buttons, that cover most functionality.

I still miss my BlackBerry Bold. Typing on a touchscreen is awful and almost impossible to do without looking at the screen.

There are pros and cons to touchscreens. For phones, I can see someone preferring the larger screen to physical buttons. I'm not one of those people, but I can understand it.

What are the pros in a car that outweigh the cons? Looking at your fingers while you fiddle with a phone is annoying. Looking at them while you drive a car is incredibly dangerous.

What you don't seem to realize is that during actual driving, you don't need to use the touch screen at all. Every meaningful, required interaction with the car (except arguably wiper speed setting I guess) is controlled with physical controls

The 3 has a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, two 4-way physical switch/dials on the steering wheel front, a stalk on the left and a stalk on the right. On the left stalk you can lever it up down forward and back. On the right stalk just up and down. But stalks have two positions for levering in each up and down direction. Finally, each stalk has a button at the end.

To engage drive mode (P, D, N, R) you use the right stalk by either lifting or pulling down for D or R, partially lifting or pulling down and holding it there for N, pressing the button at the end for P.

On the left, you use it for signalling like normally. Partial levering signals 3 clicks, full levering signals continuously like normal. Pressing the button at the end partially activates the wipers, pressing fully and holding activates the fluid and wiper action. Levering away from the driver toggles high beam mode, levering towards and holding forces high beams on.

The front 4-ways, the left one generally controls volume and track selection of the music while the right one controls driving settings relevant to the autopilot/TACC features. Specifically, clicking left/right adjusts the follow distance and rolling up or down controls the set target speed.

As for mentioning the pedals it's because 1) single-pedal driving is a big thing with tesla drivers due to the strength of the regenerative braking, so your throttle has more impact on your driving than a classic pedal. Feels a bit like a combo clutch/throttle if you're experienced with manual cars. And the brake pedal has a dual purpose. When at a full stop, pressing it firmly activates "hold" mode which is basically and automatic parking brake. Pressing it firmly releases it allowing your vehicle to roll freely. Not quite like N drive mode because regenerative braking still happens.

Anyway, long description I know. But the point is, everything relevant to driving is a physical control. During driving, the only thing I find myself going to the touch screen for that could possibly be "nicer" on the stalk is the wiper settings which I generally just leave on "Auto" anyway. This setting is made visible if you manually activate the wiper and is very close to the steering wheel. very easy to use.

All other driving related things on the touch screen are things you use when not actively driving, unless you're some weirdo who wants to switch their lights on and off manually or something, idk.

The UX of the Model 3 is impeccable.

Edit: forgot to note, the 4-way controls on the steering wheel also click in, so left side is going to pause/play with that. And honestly off the top of my head I can't remember what clicking the right one does.

I totally agree that when you are driving you should be driving and nothing else. Even fidling with the radio is dangerous. However the vast, vast majority of people do fiddle with stuff. We can't even get enough people to stop using their phones to keep it from being a fatal epidemic. So if it is present, people are going to use it, and because it's geared highly toward usability while driving you can forgive them for thinking it should be fine because clearly the manufacturer thinks it is.