Mazda’s 50-Button Cabin Loses a Distraction Test to a Tesla with Just Four Controls

A new driver distraction study from Sweden suggests that modern car infotainment systems are actually taking longer to use than they did four years ago, and that the number of buttons or screens matters far less than how well they’re designed. The test, run by Swedish publication Vi Bilägare, measured how far drivers traveled while completing routine tasks at 68 mph on a closed airfield.

In 2026, the average distance hit 813 meters, up from 756 meters in 2022, meaning drivers spent roughly two more seconds with their eyes off the road.

The standout result came from the Mazda CX-60, which packs 50 physical buttons and locks its touchscreen while moving. It needed 37 seconds and 1,137 meters to finish the tasks, the worst performance in the test. By contrast, a Tesla Model Y, which relies almost entirely on its screen and has just four physical buttons, completed the same tasks faster.

The Volvo XC60, with a well-designed interface, finished in just 485 meters, proving that intuitive layout beats button count every time. A 2016 Volvo V60, using only physical controls, needed 863 meters, showing that old-school design isn’t automatically safer.

The study tested four common actions: adjusting climate settings, switching radio stations, resetting the trip computer, and dimming the instrument panel. Each task was timed from when the driver’s hands returned to the wheel. Voice controls were excluded because they vary too much between brands.

While the sample size of just ten vehicles limits the conclusions, the results echo a clear message: how controls are arranged matters more than whether they’re physical or digital. Screen placement has improved, the XC60 requires a 35-degree eye drop versus 56 degrees in the worst 2022 model, but the data shows there’s still plenty of room for automakers to focus on driver attention.