Feb 10, 2026 10:45:00

iPhone designer Jony Ive criticized Tesla-style touchscreens as 'easy and lazy,' while Ive-designed Ferraris actively use physical buttons.

On February 9, 2026, Ferrari unveiled its first electric car, the Luce. The car was designed with the cooperation of Jonathan Ive, the designer of the iPhone, and features a control panel that combines digital and analog elements. In an interview, Ive spoke about the design philosophy behind the control panel, criticizing designs that allow all operations to be completed on a single panel.

FERRARI LUCE: REVEALING INTERIOR & INTERFACE DESIGN – AND THE NAME THAT LAUNCHES A NEW SEGMENT FOR FERRARI

https://www.ferrari.com/en-US/corporate/articles/ferrari-luce-revealing-interior-interface-design-and-the-name

iPhone Creator Jony Ive Slams Tesla-Style Touchscreens: 'Easy and Lazy'
https://www.thedrive.com/news/iphone-creator-jony-ive-slams-tesla-style-touchscreens-easy-and-lazy

The Luce has not yet been fully revealed, with only the designs of some of the driver's seat components, such as the steering wheel, instrument cluster, dashboard, and center console, being made public.

For Ferrari's first electric car, the company enlisted the help of former Apple design chief Ive and his partner, Marc Newson, who created a control panel with physical buttons that clearly indicate your touch, and a large handle underneath that can be grabbed and moved to any position you want.

This design contrasts with the large touchscreens found in cars like Tesla, which Ive criticized at a Ferrari social gathering, saying, 'Large touchscreens are not practical. There's no debate about that.'

Ive disliked the idea that 'if it's electric, the controls have to be digital,' and instead used physical buttons. He described the design, in which everything from operating the air conditioning to starting the engine is done through a touchscreen, as 'easy and lazy.'

When asked if he'd previously said that 'driving in a car with a big screen in the middle makes you feel a little bit soulless,' Ive responded, 'Big screens are useful, but they're overkill, at least for the role they play in controlling vehicle functions.'

In

an interview with Vogue, when asked, 'Can this kind of design be generalized? Do you think it will have an impact on the automotive industry in the same way that Apple has influenced other smartphones?' Ive said, 'My thinking has changed over the years. Before, when I was developing a product like a smartphone or a watch, I would have a slightly childish reaction when it was copied. I felt like it was being stolen. Now, as I get older, I'm more aware of the impact it has far beyond the product itself. I'm confident that the principles, themes, and things we discovered will have an impact beyond this car.' This was Ive's first time designing a car, and he described the experience as 'an opportunity to try new things and learn.'