Touch and Go: VW Faces U.S. Lawsuit Over Oversensitive Steering Wheel Controls

Volkswagen is facing a class-action lawsuit in the United States over claims that the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel of its ID.4 electric vehicle are dangerously oversensitive. At the heart of the legal dispute is the allegation that these controls, meant to streamline the driving experience, have instead introduced a serious safety hazard.

According to the lawsuit, even the slightest brush against the steering wheel’s touch panels can unintentionally activate the adaptive cruise control, triggering unexpected acceleration without the driver's knowledge. This malfunction, plaintiffs argue, heightens the risk of accidents by causing sudden surges in speed.

The complaint is led by two ID.4 owners who describe unnerving incidents where their vehicles accelerated on their own. In Connecticut, one such episode ended with the car crashing into another vehicle in a parking lot, causing over $14,000 in damage and leaving the driver injured. Another incident in Massachusetts saw the vehicle lurch forward into a garage, damaging both the building’s door and the front of the car.

The lawsuit claims Volkswagen failed to adequately inform customers about the design flaw or offer free repairs or compensation. Despite internal records, dealer feedback and customer complaints allegedly pointing to the issue, the company is said to have remained silent.

Volkswagen has previously admitted that the touch-based control scheme was a misstep and has promised a return to physical buttons in future models. For now, however, ID.4 owners are left grappling with a design that, in their view, prioritizes innovation over safety. The case raises broader questions about how far automakers' responsibility extends for the safety of tech-forward features after a vehicle leaves the showroom.