Ferrari Ditches Haptic Controls With This New Option

Why It Matters

The upgrade restores intuitive control for existing Ferrari owners and creates a lucrative service opportunity, highlighting a broader industry trend toward driver‑focused design over flashy but impractical interfaces.

Key Takeaways

• Ferrari replaces haptic steering controls with physical buttons
• Retrofit option available for all existing haptic‑equipped models
• New Ferrari models already ship with conventional button wheels
• Drivers criticized haptic system as unintuitive and error‑prone
• Upgrade may improve ergonomics and maintain brand’s performance image

Summary

Ferrari announced it will stop using haptic touch‑sensitive controls on its steering wheels and will offer a retrofit kit that replaces them with conventional mechanical buttons.

The haptic interface, introduced about eight years ago on models such as the Roma, required precise taps and pressure, leading many owners to describe it as “hard to use” and “error‑prone.” New‑generation Ferraris have already switched to physical buttons, signaling a course correction after driver feedback.

In the video, a commentator likened the Ferrari haptics to a Volkswagen GTI’s “annoying” feedback, noting that even the engine start‑stop button suffered. He also warned that the retrofit will involve disassembling the clock‑spring, a delicate task, but praised the move as fixing the “weak point” of modern Ferraris.

The retrofit offers owners a tangible improvement in ergonomics while opening a new after‑sales revenue stream for Ferrari. It also underscores the brand’s willingness to prioritize user experience over experimental interfaces, a signal to luxury‑car buyers that performance will not be compromised by clumsy technology.