Polestar’s New Concept Features User-Configurable Physical Buttons

This week Polestar unveiled their new concept car, the Formula 2030. It’s their first concept under new-ish design chief Philipp Römers, who took over last year; Römers calls the 2030 “a bold evolution of our already well-established design DNA” rather than an entirely new design direction. One thing that is new, and jumped out at me, is between the front seats. As of late, there’s been a backlash against screens and a clamoring for the return of physical buttons, switches, knobs. Polestar is one of the few brands that actually appears to be listening—though I have to wonder, have they gone too far here? The Formula 2030 features a center console with slots for eight physical controls, be they buttons, knobs or switches. I say “slots” because the user determines their precise placement and function.My gripe with this is, yes, I want physical controls—but I’d like them to be automotive-specific. These here, instead, resemble the controls of a vintage Braun stereo component. I also don’t like that they’re in a grid that the user configures, and the slots are too close together; having buttons in such close proximity to each other repeats the same problem that screen-based controls bring, which is that you must look down at them in order to select the correct one.I’d rather the locations of these controls were carefully thought out by a design team with ergonomic experience, and I’d prefer it if the controls themselves were purpose-designed, not these off-the-shelf-looking things. In any case, here’s Römers discussing what he and the design team were going for with the overall design: