'Cars R Stupid:' Man Buys a Car. Then He Realizes the Windows Are Controlled by a ‘Touchscreen the Size of an Almond’

"This is why we only drive Toyota and Lexus."

Photo by: mamasleastfavorite & Hochgesang

JT Wilson

By: JT Wilson

Aug 17, 2025 at 1:00pm ET

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A frustrated driver’s rant about window controls has struck a nerve with people who miss the simpler days of analog.

TikTok user @mamasleastfavorite posted a 28-second video that garnered 413,000 views, in which he sarcastically praises Volkswagen's “innovative” approach to basic car functions.

The response from his viewers suggests that he’s not alone in his touchscreen tetchiness.

The Window Control Frustration

In his TikTok, @mamasleastfavorite begins with faux enthusiasm: “You guys, check out the window controls on my new car. This is so cool.”

However, his tone quickly shifts as he explains the problems with his Volkswagen’s design. “My old car had separate buttons for each window so I could just feel it,” he says. “But then I was wasting all this time, looking at the road, paying attention to where I was going.”

The video shows him demonstrating the system, alternating between close-up shots of his face and the small touchscreen control panel located above the door handle.

The Safety Concern

@mamasleastfavorite’s main grievance centers on safety.

“Now if I want to roll down the back window, I can stare down on my knees and fumble around with a touchscreen the size of an almond, all while I’m traveling at 70 miles an hour,” he says.

The video captures him working with a light-up toggle switch labeled “rear” and manipulating two window control tabs that switch between controlling front and rear windows. His camera whips back and forth as he moves between demonstrating the controls and venting his frustration directly to viewers.

Beyond the safety concerns, @mamasleastfavorite points out another problem. “Really cool part two is [that] sometimes doesn’t even work,” he says sarcastically. “Kind of keeps things exciting.”

He concludes his critique with another big helping of sarcasm, saying, “So massive shout out to Volkswagen for this huge step forward in human progress.”

Buttons for the People

The video’s comment section revealed widespread frustration with the auto industry’s move away from knobs, dials, and switches. User Jess captured the sentiment of many viewers: “Allllll I want are buttons. No more screens. Buttons!”

The video seemed to awaken a repressed desire for tactile feedback.

User unstable.soul explained the practical advantages, “Better yet, it’s much easier to learn to do it from memory because you can’t just click 5mm to the left and it’s a completely different menu, and even if you don’t fully remember it you can do it by touch, which is impossible to do on a screen.”

Another commenter, Trollsamaa, highlighted the irony of the situation: “Right? Phones are dangerous to use when driving, they are a huge distraction and cause a ton of accidents... so hear me out... what if we install a huge one in the dash, and put EVERY control on it.”

Back to Analog

The discussion expanded beyond automotive applications, with users sharing similar frustrations with other appliances.

Caroline Levine shared her kitchen experience. “My oven is all touchscreen,” she lamented. “You have no idea how much I hate that. When I clean it, a tiny droplet of water makes the entire oven go insane. I don’t need technology on my appliances!!! I need buttons!!!”

User VoltaReborn offered insight into the logic behind touchscreen adoption. “Touchscreens on phones was revolutionary because it took a small amount of space and gave unlimited functionality,” they said. “But touchscreens for things with one specific function that doesn’t change? Pointless. Make it a button.”

Muscle Memory

Several commenters emphasized the importance of muscle memory in vehicle operation. As Jess noted, “You’re so right. No chance for muscle memory to kick it,” referring to the inability to operate touchscreen controls without looking.

User Angela FH shared her preference for older technology: “I love having an old car (2006) with dials for the AC and whatnot. I saw a car recently that had all that on touchscreen and I'd be mad if I [had] to fumble around with all that.”

Some users offered brand recommendations based on control preferences. Hazel commented, “This is why we only drive Toyota and Lexus, they still have buttons!”

The video and resulting discussion highlight a significant disconnect between automotive designers and actual users. As commenter Chtef observed, “Who designs these? Not those who use them.”

What do you think?

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Comments

This sentiment reflects a broader concern that automotive manufacturers are prioritizing aesthetic minimalism and cost reduction over user experience and safety. While touchscreens might reduce manufacturing costs and create a modern look, sometimes the old way of doing things was better for a reason.

Motor1 reached out to @mamasleastfavorite for comment. We'll be sure to update this if he responds.