[tmpruitt]

Not lazy; but definitely cheap. I don’t know why they a doing this. It has been tried many, many times over the years by various manufacturers and the public always hates it. And on a luxury brand? No. Just say no.

Maybe....but lots of benefits from doing it this way. No physical mechanism moving to fail, liquid can't be spilled into the buttons, smaller space requirements means more freedom to locate them, cheaper to build and cheaper to repair, programmability for software functionality variations since no physical movement. I don't think it's because Volvo got "lazy".

 

[tmpruitt]

Are you talking about switch placement or the type of switches?

Placement in the center console instead of on each door panel.

 

[tmpruitt]

That's a good thing as it generates volume, which can keep the prices lower. Volkswagen group does the same with similar models from VW, Seat, Skoda and sometimes Audi, too.

It depends on how well it’s done. From an American perspective, General Motors did it well… until they didn’t. Over about 20 years it destroyed the brand equity of Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and to a lesser degree Cadillac.

No doubt engineering a platform is far more expensive today. Here’s to hoping Volvo is able to continue having a distinct identity For its cars.