Modern Gear Shifters Are Too Confusing, Leave Drivers Frustrated, Stranded, Or Worse
Gears levers are out, rotary dials, screen menus, and even glass orbs are in, but while they might look cool, they are often counter-intuitive and can even pose a safety risk
https://www.carscoops.com/author/sam-d-smith/
by Sam D. Smith
Many consumers are confused by new car gear shifters and their unconventional designs.
With everything from dials to orbs being used to select gears, drivers are often baffled.
Counter-intuitive designs are more than just inconveniences; they can be a safety issue.
Earlier this month, Volkswagen finally admitted what we knew all along: in certain cases, buttons are good, screens are bad. It’s often been debated as to why hiding controls behind ever-changing menus on admittedly flashy touchscreens is considered premium, but according to Euro NCAP, it could also be a safety concern.
But the lack of buttons and the ever-growing screen sizes aren’t the only things that automakers just can’t leave alone. Gears shifters are constantly becoming needless complicated, as many, from automotive journalists (myself included) to car engineers and execs, point out. And then there, are of course, the buyers themselves who aren’t always happy with their shiny new car’s way of selecting gears.
Read: Does This Chrysler Pacifica Owner’s Story Prove That Rotary Gear Shifters Are Dumb?
Long gone are the days of the traditional column-mounted or console shifters; today’s vehicles feature a wide range of unconventional shifting mechanisms, such as dials, joysticks, touchscreens, and even glass orbs.Linda Hoff, a frequent traveler, was left stranded in a rental Nissan Rogue, unable to figure out its joystick-like gear selector. Her frustration echoed a common sentiment among drivers unfamiliar with modern shifter designs. “I didn’t even know how to drive this damn car,” she said. “So I had to go back to the rental agency and say, ‘Is there a trick here?’”
If It Ain’t Broke…
The Chrysler Pacifica’s rotary knob
The shift away from mechanical linkages to electronic controls has given automakers the freedom to experiment with innovative designs, but not all changes have been well-received. Some configurations, such as Chrysler’s rotary dial shifter placed near the radio volume knob, have raised safety concerns. Drivers worry about accidentally shifting gears while adjusting the volume – a very alarming possibility.
Luxury brands have embraced even more ambitious designs. Genesis introduced the Crystal Sphere, a glowing orb that rotates 180 degrees to reveal a twist-knob shifter, in its GV60 EV. While visually striking, some owners have found it impractical, with one even losing a Post-it note inside the mechanism.
Tesla, known for pushing boundaries, has integrated gear selection into its touchscreen interface, eliminating traditional shifters entirely and leaving only roof-mounted buttons as a secondary option. While some owners, like Jeff Tropeano of Colorado, have adapted, others, including his wife, find the setup bewildering. “When she gets into my car, she’s like, ‘I just don’t know what to do,’” he told the Wall Street Journal.
Tesla has eleminitated traditional shifters altogether in the latest Model 3 and Y.
The Wrong Shifter Could Prove Fatal
The modern approach to gear shifters hasn’t been without controversy. Chrysler’s dial shifter was linked to rollaway incidents and even a fatality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that those cars are installed with a center console shift lever that “is not intuitive and provides poor tactile and visual feedback to the driver, increasing the potential for unintended gear selection.”
See Also: VW Brings Back Physical Buttons After Admitting Touchscreens Are A Disaster
More recently, Consumer Reports testers inadvertently shifted a Rivian R1S into reverse while attempting to disengage adaptive cruise control. Rivian responded by issuing a software update to address the issue.
Despite these challenges, experts suggest that familiarity is key. Once drivers acclimatize to their car’s unique controls, the confusion tends to fade. Still, with automakers pushing the boundaries of design in pursuit of differentiation and efficiency, the debate over intuitive controls versus innovation is far from settled. For now, drivers may need to carefully study their new vehicle’s manual – which, in some cases, is also buried in one of the infotainment menus…
2025 Nissan Murano
