A circular control dial (12, 14) comprising: an array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20) including a plurality of sensor elements circumferentially spaced around the dial (12, 14), and a center sensor element located at substantially the center of the dial (12, 14); a display located within the dial (12, 14) for displaying a desired control value; and a controller connected to said plurality of sensor elements (12, 14) and to the display for controlling a vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system, said controller being configured to: monitor the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20) to determine a user desired command based on user touches to the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20); control the display and the vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system commensurate with the determined user desired command; wherein said control dial (12, 14) is configured to control said vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system, in accordance with the user determined desired command; and wherein the controller is configured to monitor the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20) for swiping finger motion from one outer sensor element to another outer sensor element across the center sensor element to determine a user desired temperature change by a predetermined incremental amount. an array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20) including a plurality of sensor elements circumferentially spaced around the dial (12, 14), and a center sensor element located at substantially the center of the dial (12, 14); a display located within the dial (12, 14) for displaying a desired control value; and a controller connected to said plurality of sensor elements (12, 14) and to the display for controlling a vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system, said controller being configured to: monitor the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20) to determine a user desired command based on user touches to the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20); control the display and the vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system commensurate with the determined user desired command; wherein said control dial (12, 14) is configured to control said vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system, in accordance with the user determined desired command; and wherein the controller is configured to monitor the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20) for swiping finger motion from one outer sensor element to another outer sensor element across the center sensor element to determine a user desired temperature change by a predetermined incremental amount. monitor the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20) to determine a user desired command based on user touches to the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20); control the display and the vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system commensurate with the determined user desired command; wherein said control dial (12, 14) is configured to control said vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system, in accordance with the user determined desired command; and wherein the controller is configured to monitor the array of spaced sensor elements (18, 20) for swiping finger motion from one outer sensor element to another outer sensor element across the center sensor element to determine a user desired temperature change by a predetermined incremental amount.