This.

Even to the point that I swear people designing cars don’t factor in 100% tactile any more.

For example my Skoda has a full 360 degree knob for changing aircon vent position with no detents. There is literally no way of changing from defog to face without looking down and adjusting.

My Mazda on the other hand is more mechanical which may at first seem “clunkier”, but it has stops on either end for face (fat counter clockwise) and defog (full clockwise) so you can instantly choose the most common settings. The in-between settings have large and small detents as you cycle through so I can go 50% feet, 50% defog by going hard right then one click back without looking.

What is this phenomenon where garbage proliferates?

Don’t worry, the Skoda is widely considered to be a failure.

Sorry, couldn’t resist

On the flipside, a lot of systems that you would touch during driving - lights, heating, radio - have been automated, so there's less of a need to fiddle with this while driving as well.

I've driven a Volvo once, it has so many buttons it's kinda ridiculous: http://www.frontseatdriver.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/.... Mind you that's mainly the keypad, which I don't recall ever having used.

Touchscreens are modern.

(Not meant as affirmation of touchscreens especially in an auto context, meant to provoke reflection about the term "modern".)

Modern to me is novelty + usefulness. Touchscreens are modern when they do something better than an alternative. From a design perspective they’re great for dynamic display that requires (or benefits from) input... from a business view they save money on mechanical interfaces and can be used to offer new services to make money—this works out for users about as much as it doesn’t. I guess automakers are seeking to carve out a balance to stay ahead. Mechanical interfaces might come back as a retro luxury feature!