What year did Lexus add a touch screen?
The first Lexus models to offer touchscreen input for navigation and multimedia appeared around the 2010 model year, marking a shift from button- and knob-centric controls to direct finger input. This article traces how Lexus’ interior tech evolved from traditional controls to touch-enabled displays and what that change meant for drivers.
Timeline: When Lexus began using touch screens
Below is a concise timeline of when touch input appeared in Lexus infotainment systems, noting that availability varied by model and market.
- 2010: Early adopters begin offering touchscreen navigation on select Lexus models, signaling a move toward direct-touch input rather than exclusively physical controls. The introduction occurred on models in the IS and related lineups during this period.
- 2013–2014: A broader rollout follows, with more models gaining touchscreen displays, while some trims continue to offer the traditional Remote Touch controller as an alternative input method.
- Mid- to late-2010s: Touchscreen displays become more common across the lineup, with larger screens and improved integration (including expanded smartphone connectivity in many markets). The exact screen size and interface vary by model and year, and some markets still offered or favored alternative input methods on certain trims.
In practice, whether a given Lexus model features a touchscreen—and whether it is the primary input method—depends on the model year and trim level. The broader shift toward direct touchscreen input occurred over several years, with the Remote Touch system remaining in use on some cars for a period even as touchscreens became more prevalent.
Details by model and region
To determine the precise year for a specific model and market, consult the official specifications for that model’s trim and year. Availability and implementation varied by region and by model design cycle.
What drivers experienced
The move to touch input offered more intuitive map and media interactions, reducing reliance on secondary controllers. Over time, Lexus refined screen sizes and user interfaces, while some models continued to offer traditional input methods as alternatives for those who preferred them.
Conclusion
Overall, Lexus began incorporating touch screen input into its infotainment systems around 2010, with broader adoption across the lineup in the following years. The exact year depends on the model and market, but 2010 marks the period when touch-enabled displays started to appear in earnest for the brand.
Summary: Lexus’s touchscreen era started circa 2010, evolving over the next several years into a common feature across most models, alongside continued use of alternative input methods on select trims.
What year did they start putting touch screens in cars?
Touch screens in cars became popular in the 2010s, largely driven by the success of smartphones, although the first in-car touch screen was introduced much earlier in the 1986 Buick Riviera. The 2010s saw widespread adoption, with Tesla's 2012 Model S and its large central display accelerating the trend, and by today, they are standard in most new vehicles.
- Early introduction (1980s): The Buick Riviera was the first production car with a touch screen in 1986, but the technology was expensive and limited, and was discontinued due to being too distracting.
- Gradual development (1990s-2000s): Over the next two decades, touch screen technology advanced, becoming more common in infotainment systems as people became more familiar with computers.
- Popularization (2010s): The release of the Tesla Model S in 2012, with its large 17-inch central display, was a key moment that pushed the technology forward and made it a selling point. This period saw a significant increase in the prevalence of touch screens in cars, as they became standard equipment in many models.
- Modern standard: Today, touch screens are a common feature in most new cars, with some high-end models offering massive displays that control most of the vehicle's functions.
When did Lexus get a touch screen?
As of 2009, the Lexus LS, GS, IS, ES sedans, SC and IS coupes, and the LX(until 2015) and GX sport utility vehicles use a touchscreen interface system, which in new models includes the same menu interface and layout as the Remote Touch-equipped models.
What Lexus has a touch screen?
Which Lexus models come with a touch screen? Lexus has incorporated touch screen technology across a diverse lineup of vehicles. Some notable models boasting this feature include the Lexus RX, NX, ES, and LS series. To explore the full range, visit Merge Screens' Lexus Touch Screen Collection.
Does the Lexus RX have a touch screen?
From the confidence-inspiring Lexus RX safety features to the intuitive Lexus RX touchscreen and infotainment systems, you will enjoy a well-rounded travel experience.
