Study on New Gearshift Paddles

Traditional intuitive gearshift paddles are becoming a thing of the past. Today, they are being replaced by increasingly complex solutions: rotary washers, buttons, on-screen menus, and glass spheres. The Indy Auto Man dealership representatives confirm that Indiana buyers complain about solutions in new cars and prefer to buy used vehicles with familiar controls and physical levers and buttons. Most drivers whom we requested consider the novelties confusing.

Incidentally, the internet recently discussed the case of Linda Hoff, a road tripper who didn't manage to move her rented Nissan Rogue. She was unable to figure out an innovative joystick-like gear shifter. Today, they offer a study of this topic and explain what to expect in the future.

How car manufacturers, world safety organizations, and consumers see the issue

Volkswagen recently admitted that, in most cases, buttons and physical switches are good, and screens are bad. In addition, there is increasing debate about why moving controls to confusing on-screen menus is considered a premium solution. Not to mention that Euro NCAP considers it unsafe.

The disappearance of buttons and ever-increasing screen sizes are not the only things car manufacturers are irritating customers with. Gearshift paddles are becoming increasingly complex, which motoring journalists and engineers point out with heavy hearts. Gone are the days when gearshift paddles were on the center console or steering column. Modern cars can boast a wide range of unconventional mechanisms such as rotary knobs, joysticks, touch screens, and even glass spheres.

Field for experiments

The transition from mechanical drives to electronic controls has allowed automakers to experiment with new designs, but not all of their inventions are received positively. Some configurations, such as Chrysler's rotary gear selector located next to the volume control, raise concerns. Drivers are afraid that they can accidentally change gears while adjusting the volume. And this is quite possible! Premium brands have begun to use even more controversial solutions. For example, Genesis recently introduced the Crystal Sphere - a glowing ball that flips 180 degrees, revealing a gear shift knob (in the GV60). While it looks incredibly cool, many owners found it impractical, with one owner even managing to drop a sticker inside the mechanism. Tesla, known for innovation and pushing the boundaries of possibility, has integrated gear shifting into its on-screen interface, completely abandoning traditional levers and leaving only buttons mounted on the ceiling.

Novelties make trouble

The modern approach to gear shift design is not without its scandals. For example, Chrysler has had cases where its engineering solutions ended in fatal incidents - the car simply rolled away. The US Department of Transportation Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has repeatedly stated that these cars are equipped with a gear shift lever that is not intuitive and provides little tactile and visual feedback to the driver, increasing the likelihood of unintended shifts. Most recently, Consumer Reports testers accidentally put a Rivian R1S into reverse while trying to disable adaptive cruise control. The company responded by releasing a software update to fix the problem.

What to expect

Despite all the difficulties, experts agree that the most important thing is the adaptation process. As soon as drivers get used to the control features, the confusion disappears. However, since car manufacturers are constantly improving design in search of more effective solutions, the debate will continue. In the meantime, various traditional, time-proven models are available at the used car market at the Indy Auto Man car lot.