Tesla can be credited with helping to popularize minimalist car interiors that eschew conventional controls for a large touchscreen. While many tech-savvy drivers enjoy this layout, there are also many who don’t—even Tesla itself has added back some physical controls it took away, such as signal stalks.
But for anyone who wants a better balance between the touchscreen and controls that allow you to keep your eyes on the road, a Norwegian startup has created a new button bar that can be retrofitted to a Model Y or Model 3, significantly improving the usability of these EVs.
Related: 5 Essential Car Features That Should Never Be On Touchscreens
Tactile Simplicity for Multiple Functions
Greenmission
After its first-generation Ctrl-Bar, Greenmission’s new Ctrl-Bar 2 further refines the retrofit with more buttons, quicker responses, and attractive color displays. The button bar fits snugly below the touchscreen in the Model 3 and Y, and it has a premium look that integrates well with the rest of the center stack.
Eight customizable buttons and two aluminum knobs can be used to control a long list of commonly accessed vehicle functions, such as:
- Opening the glovebox
- Adjusting the climate control temperature
- Adjusting the fan speed
- Dog and Camp modes
- Front seat heating/ventilation
- Defrosting
- Wipers
- Volume
- Switching between music tracks
- Folding mirrors
Depending on what functions you want to access most often, there are over 30 available shortcuts. Some features, such as fan speed and regen braking, require the optional Ctrl-Bridge add-on, which plugs into the car’s OBD port for deeper integration. Drivers can conveniently configure settings of the button bar via the Ctrl-Center app.
Greenmission
“From climate and media to locks and lights, Ctrl-Bar brings the most essential functions back to your fingertips,” said the company in a statement.
Installation of the button bar takes just five minutes and requires no tools, as it attaches easily with a 3M adhesive. Customers will also be supplied with installation videos.
Related: Top 6 Vehicles with the Best Physical Controls
Why It Matters
The ongoing debate between touchscreen and conventional controls is no longer a matter of personal taste alone. Safety regulators will soon be implementing new rules that will penalize automakers for making often-used controls overly distracting to use—ultimately, the overall safety score of new cars will be impacted by this.
This could force automakers to revert back to interfaces from five or so years ago, when there was a better balance between touchscreens and tactile controls. In the meantime, third-party providers like Greenmission can fill the gap, effectively removing one of the few pain points when switching to a Tesla.
The funding campaign for the Ctrl-Platform is now live, with first deliveries for pre-2024 models expected in April 2026. The updated Model 3 Highland and Model Y Juniper will have access to the button bar just a month later, in May.
