Yeah, give me hard buttons and knobs any day over soft buttons on a touchscreen.
Bought a universal remote control once with a touch screen, and the interface changed depending on what you wanted to control: amp, TV, DVD, CD, cable box...
Used it for a few days and then it quickly found a new home inside the cupboard drawer.
When you're watching TV, the last thing you want to do is have to take your eyes off the screen to have to mess around and fumble around with a touch screen. Yes, it did have hard buttons for volume +/- and channel +/-, but if you wanted to skip to a specific channel or control a different device, you'd have to refocus on the remote instead of having tactile buttons your fingers can find anytime.
Same in a car, I also prefer knobs over +/- buttons for when you're setting cabin temperature or stereo volume. One quick turn vs several button presses is so much easier.
Sometimes it seems like aesthetics have won over practicality.
My first car a base model 1958 Chevy had a total of about ten switches. Ignition, turn signal, windshield wipers, head / parking lights, radio, heat, defrost, fan, temperature, dome light.
Each switch was in a different spot and the air controls were adjusted until they felt right. I never had to hunt for the right switch.
My 2014 Elantra had over 70 switches (I lost count), some overhead, some on the console, some on the streeing column, some on the streering wheel, some on the dash and some on the door.
There were separate temperature controls with digital readouts of the temperatures. Few of the switches had distinct feels so you had to look.
The dash screen could be GPS, radio, media all with numerous sub menus for sound direction and tone.
I suspect the digital switches are being used because it's cheaper to mount a printed circuit board than fists full of distinct switches and associate wiring.
If multiple people drive the car there is the resetting of media, seats, mirrors and the steering wheel.
