Torque Shop: Touchscreens control almost everything in modern cars

I am looking to buy a new car. All the cars I have driven in the past decades have been fairly straightforward. What has changed in recent years that may affect the way I operate a modern car?

One of the biggest differences between cars today and those from a decade ago is the seeming dearth of physical switches and buttons. Many functions are found in the touchscreen tablet that dominates the cabins of modern cars.

Fortunately, the indicator stalk still exists on the steering column, other than in Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) and some supercars, which have replaced them with buttons on the steering wheel itself.

However, in many cars, there is a second control stalk, which is the gear selector.

This is probably one of the most common initial complications because, until you become thoroughly familiar with the new car, there is a risk of mistaking the gear selector for the turn indicator. So, instead of getting the turn signals to come on, you flick the gear selector out of “D” to neutral.

The car will obviously not respond to the accelerator pedal. Things can get dicey if you happen to be trying to join a major road or even changing lanes.

The touchscreen tablet in modern cars can house a host of controls, including those for air-conditioning, infotainment and drive-mode settings, as well as wing mirror adjustments.

It is important to spend some time to find out how you can navigate the system. Chances are, there may be some shortcuts to make it easier for you to access the frequently used features.

Many modern cars are able to accommodate multiple drivers, remember their individual preferences and adjust everything – from the radio station list to the mirror settings – as soon as the driver gets in.

In some cases, failing to save the settings during the initiation process can lead the car to return to the default setting at the end of every drive. It can be frustrating to have to search for the radio frequency and adjust the driver’s seat every time you get into the car.

For those driving an electric vehicle for the first time, its main difference from a petrol-powered car is the way an EV slows down quite markedly when the accelerator is eased, to recover energy to charge the battery.

Some EVs allow the driver to adjust the level of energy recuperation, whether with paddles behind the steering wheel or via the touchscreen menu. There are also EVs that offer single-foot driving, in which the car will slow to a complete halt when the right foot is eased.

Finally, a special but very critical note on cars that use electric buttons in the cabin instead of traditional mechanical levers to open doors: Before setting off with passengers, make it a point to inform occupants how to use the switch.

Such cars will also have an emergency manual door release, usually hidden behind a flap somewhere on the door panel that is not immediately obvious. So, it may be a good idea to try the manual override in advance, in case you need to use it.