Touchscreen/button-panel vehicle controls force eyes off the road; OEM software is paywalled

Pain point

Drivers (consumer cars *and* $200K commercial trucks) can't operate shifters, HVAC, etc. by feel. OEMs gate fixes behind expensive software ("$3,000 plus $500/month").

Signal

Strong within thread and clearly generalized beyond trucks — 1,374 upvotes on "my gf's car has everything on a digital screen," 216 on the software-pricing complaint, plus two separate DIY-workaround comments (50, 46) where users are already improvising felt stickers/silicone nubs. People hacking their own fix = proven demand.

Opportunity

A tactile-control retrofit kit: adhesive, automotive-grade silicone/braille-style nubs, raised rings and knob-caps sized for common OEM panels and touchscreens, with a vehicle-model lookup. Low BOM, high margin, Amazon/TikTok-shop friendly. Feasibility: quick to build (sourcing + die-cut tooling); fleet-safety B2B upsell to trucking companies is the bigger revenue.

Evidence

• My $200,000 semi truck has car stereo button panel for a shifter