Ferrari’s chief explained why touchscreens are becoming increasingly popular in cars—they cost half as much as traditional buttons.

Ferrari – digital reality and economic logic

Chief Executive Officer Benetton Vignia recently gave a detailed interview to the British magazine *Autocar*. In it he touched on a wide range of topics: from the growth of the auto industry in India to the uncertainty of the electric vehicle market. Of particular importance is that Vignia openly admitted one of the “unpleasant” truths of modern automotive manufacturing – touchscreens are not developed solely to attract young people, but primarily for cost savings.

1. The electric supercar Luce and glass savings
In February Ferrari announced details of its fully electric supercar *Luce*. The car is positioned as a “utopian” vision of the future: it uses the most advanced technologies, but they are not the only thing that makes it special. Vignia explained that the new four‑seat electric Ferrari has more glass precisely because this allows significant cost reductions – savings are achieved through a simplified design.

2. Johnny Ive and the touch system
For the development of the infotainment system *Luce* the company turned to legendary designer Johnny Ive. At first glance, creating an expensive touchscreen panel in a car seems costly, but according to Vignia it turns out to be cheaper than designing and producing physical buttons.

> “Touchscreens are created for the supplier’s benefit,” he said.
> “Creating a touch button costs 50 % less… and these elegant physical buttons require serious investments and specialized equipment.”

3. Economics and user experience
Vignia emphasized that digital interfaces in the auto industry are most often implemented to reduce cost, not at customers’ request. He provided specific figures: producing touchscreens is roughly twice as cheap as producing physical buttons.

> “A touch interface works great for consumer electronics,” Vignia notes, but adds that Ferrari buyers do not experience the same emotional response.
> “We need to make something unique.”

4. The future of “fizjital” at Ferrari
The company intends to continue developing the *“fizjital”* concept – a combination of physical control with digital additions. A fully digital interior is not planned: Ferrari already rejects concise, minimalist designs and moves toward more “interactive” cabins. According to Vignia, this direction will develop even more actively.

Conclusion:

Ferrari acknowledges that touchscreens are economically advantageous but strives to preserve the brand’s uniqueness through a blend of traditional and digital elements. The new electric supercar *Luce* demonstrates how technological innovations can be used not only to improve performance but also for substantial cost savings.