Ferrari Will Replace Your Touch-Capacitive Steering Wheel Controls With Real Buttons

Less than a year ago, Ferrari admitted it made a mistake. When it launched the SF90, the automaker wanted to cram as much new technology into the hybrid supercar as possible, opting for capacitive touch buttons on the steering wheel instead of real, tactile buttons. Owners hated it.

Feedback forced Ferrari to revert to physical buttons on the Amalfi’s steering wheel. Now, the company has announced an upgrade for existing models to get the same treatment. Ferrari of Atlanta posted last week that it can now upgrade the steering wheel in the Purosangue and the 12Cilindri with real buttons.

All the dealer has to replace is the section containing all the controls, which it can do without sending the car back to Italy. The airbag cover remains unchanged. The replacement looks identical to the original, just now with physical switches for the menu, phone, and cruise control. All the other controls are the same, like traction control, wipers, and lights.  

Ferrari isn’t the first to revert to using real buttons, but it is the first to offer a retrofit. The Italian automaker, along with several mainstream and luxury brands, has openly admitted that replacing physical controls with capacitive or touchscreen options was a step backward.  Instead, many automakers are reintroducing physical controls on future models.  

Motor1’s Take: It’s one thing for an automaker to make a mistake, and another for an automaker to offer a fix for older models. That’s not something automakers do all the time, but the feedback must have been loud enough for Ferrari to listen and offer a retrofit. That’s good customer care.