Physical Controls and Ergonomics
Wiper Controls Moved to the Infotainment Screen
The Issue
On at least one car tested, wiper speed control and wiper activation had been moved to the infotainment touchscreen, removing the physical wiper stalk from the steering column entirely. Changing wiper speed required taking a hand off the steering wheel, locating the correct area on the screen, and making a precise touch input. This need arose most often during rain, exactly when visibility was already reduced and the driver's full attention was required on the road.
Why It Matters
Wiper control is a safety-critical function. The need to change wiper speed arises directly from a change in visibility conditions: heavier rain, spray from a vehicle ahead, a sudden downpour. The driver must respond immediately, without taking their eyes off the road or their hands fully away from the wheel for more than a fraction of a second. A conventional stalk on the steering column achieves this reliably and without any visual attention. A touchscreen control cannot. Moving wiper control to the screen trades a safety-optimised physical control for an aesthetic benefit, and in this particular trade-off, the aesthetic gain does not justify the safety cost. This is one of the clearest cases in any car of a control that should not be relocated.